Dhaka: Minister of Home Affairs Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said the functions to celebrate the Bangla New Year, Pahela Baishakh, must be end by 5:00pm.

The minister briefed the decision to journalists after a meeting with law enforcing officials at the secretariat on Sunday.

All kinds of gathering and events on 14 April will be prohibited after 5:00pm to avoid unwelcomed situations, the minister added.

Several programmes are organised to mark the first day of Bangla New Year on 14 April across the country.

The government prohibited public gatherings due to the last year’s incident of sexual harassment of women on the Dhaka University campus during the New Year celebration.