BRAC University (BRACU) organised a fair titled "BRACU Baishakhi Mela-1424 (বৈশাখী মেলা ১৪২৪) " in the auditorium of its Mohakhali campus in the capital yesterday, marking Bangla New Year 1424. Stalls displaying boutique dresses, jewellery accessories, games, food items etc made and presented by BRACU students and their parents, faculty members and staff, were the major attraction in this event.
The aim of the fair was letting the new generation know the real value of celebrating our diversity and spreading the joy through festivities to make the event a truly memorable experience. Director of BRAC Institute of Languages, Lady Syeda Sarwat Abed inaugurated the program at 10:00 Am. In her inaugural speech, she said Pahela Baishakh is indeed a joyful occasion in the life of each and every Bangladeshi. She also expected that this year BRACU will welcome Bengali New Year with traditional festivities and enthusiasm.
In the fair there were also arrangements for a puppet show, bioscope, parrot fortune-telling and a mehndi corner to woo visitors and provide hours of entertainment.
When asked about the aim of puppet show, Rayed Hassan, a BRACU student and a member of the organising team of the event said that it was to attract students to Bangladesh's cultural heritage through entertainment.
The fair was also open for parents. Entaz Uddin Molla, a father and retired service holder, came to visit the fair as a visitor. He praised the initiative and expressed his pleasure at seeing the programme.
The fair also gave opportunities to entrepreneurs to showcase their products. Iffat Enam, an entrepreneur as well as a program officer of the Centre for Entrepreneurship Development of BRACU, showcased unstitched dresses in her stall. She told that student entrepreneurs should use this platform to emerge as entrepreneurs. Another young entrepreneur, Munni Akter, came up with a stall for the first time in the fair. As a mehedi artist, she will be using feedbacks of this fair for further expansion of her business in the future.
The campus was decorated on the theme of the day while students wore traditional clothing showcasing motifs depicting Bangladesh's heritage and culture.