Dhaka: Prime Minister’s International Affairs Adviser Dr Gowher Rizvi on Friday said although Nowruz is a religious festival, it conveys the message of secularism like Pahela Baishakh.

‘Nowruz is not a new festival in Bangladesh. It has been being celebrated here in a befitting manner for the last 500 years. Though Nowruz is a religious festival, it sends out the message of secularism,’ he said while addressing a discussion and celebration programme to mark the rich tradition of Nowruz, Persian New Year, at Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA).

Iran Cultural Centre, Dhaka (ICC) and BSA jointly organised the programme on the occasion of Nowruz (New Year in Iran) and upcoming Bangla New Year.

Gowher Rizvisaid the relations between Iran and Bangladesh will be strengthened through these types of programmes. ‘The influence of Persian civilisation still exists in our language and literature.’

Former director general of Bangladesh Television M Hamid and chairman of the Persian Language and Literature department of Dhaka University Prof Dr Abul Kalam Sarker were present as special guests.

ICC Cultural counselor Seyed Mousa Hosseini delivered the welcome address while director of Research and Publication Department of BSA Dr Gazi Saifuzzaman presided over the programme.

The event began with the screening of a documentary on Nowruz while a cultural performance on Nowruz was held in the end.

Students of DU Persian Language and Literature department rendered performance whileSamir Baul sang songs.

Nowruz has been being celebrated for over 3,000 years in Western Asia, Central Asia, the Caucasus, the Black Sea Basin, and the Balkans.