Desk Report:
On Thursday (April 10, 2026), a press briefing was held at the meeting room of the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs at the Bangladesh Secretariat on the occasion of the main social festivals of the Chittagong Hill Tracts ‘Biju, Shangrai, Baisu, Bishu, Changkran and Changlan’. Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Minister Dipen Dewan, who was present as the chief guest, briefed the journalists.
The minister said that the own culture and tradition of each community in the Hill Tracts are an integral part of our national heritage. From now on, it will no longer be ‘Baisabi’, we will celebrate these social festivals in the own unique way of each community. We do not want there to be any scope for discrimination in such social festivals.
He said that the social festival of our Chakma community is Biju. Earlier, this Biju festival was celebrated by the ministry as Baisabi. There, Baisabi comes from the three initials of the three communities. The Tripura community calls it Baisu, the Marma community calls it Shangrai, and the Chakma community calls this festival Biju. But the name of the festival of 11 communities in the Chittagong Hill Tracts cannot be just Baisabi. By giving this Baisabi name, the previous government has belittled the ethnicity of other communities.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman has realized this fact—this humane festival will be celebrated by all communities based on ethnicity in Bangladesh with their own unique names. Not depriving anyone, not excluding anyone—it will be called by the name by which the community celebrates this social festival.
The minister further said, keeping these names in mind, Biju, Shangrai, Baisu, Bishu, Changkran, Changlan—we are going to organize a program on April 12 with the hill people living in the capital.
Speaking as a special guest at the event, State Minister for the Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin said, “Just as the rainbow has variety, the uniqueness of all communities will be reflected in the festival – this is natural. Our tradition is our strength.”
He further added that these festivals are not just mere events, they are our roots and identity. Our government’s main goal is to protect the uniqueness of the hill people and keep them involved in the mainstream of development.
The press briefing, chaired by the Ministry’s Secretary Mohammad Mizanur Rahman, was attended by Saching Pru, Member of Parliament for Bandarban Hill Tracts District, senior officials of the ministry and journalists from various media outlets.
It is worth noting that on this occasion, a colorful rally and flower immersion festival will be organized on the morning of April 12 from the ‘Chittagong Hill Tracts Complex’ on Bailey Road in the capital to the lake at Ramna Park.
