PM to join 'Hridoye Dhaka 416' festival at Lalbagh Fort on 29 Aug

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will join the "Hridoye Dhaka 416" festival marking Dhaka's 416th anniversary and "Dhaka Day" at Lalbagh Fort at 4pm on 29 August.

"The prime minister has agreed to attend the festival," Dhaka South City Corporation Administrator Bir Muktijoddha Md Abdus Salam said today (13 August) while announcing the programme at a press conference at Nagar Bhaban.

The event will feature dance performances by children, an exhibition of innovations by young scientists, a display of books on Dhaka and stalls offering traditional Old Dhaka food. The prime minister will also plant a tree and visit Lalbagh Fort.

The programme will feature festoons and the release of balloons and pigeons.

The city corporation has planned a month-long series of programmes highlighting Dhaka's history, heritage and culture.

A "Dhaka Heritage Cycle Rally" will be held on 14 August, followed by the "Dhaka Heritage Run" on 15 August. A theatre festival will run from 16-22 August, while a boat race and heritage cruise will take place on 21 August.

Other programmes include screenings of old films on 22 August, "The Great Dhaka Sale" and "Love Letter to Dhaka" from 21-30 August, and broadcasts of old Dhaka-based programmes on Bangladesh Television from 23-29 August.

A helicopter programme titled "Hridoye Dhaka from a Bird's Eye View" will be held on 24 August, followed by a traditional procession on 28 August.

Lalbagh Fort will host a kite festival, "Dhaka Adda" and cultural programmes on 30 August. An art camp and prize-giving ceremony for a drawing competition will be held on 1 September.

The festival will conclude with a "Panchayeti Adda" at Alamganj Jetty on 5 September.

Speaking about the city's history, Abdus Salam said Dhaka became the capital of Subah Bangla in 1610.

"Modern municipal administration began with the establishment of Dhaka Municipality on 1 August 1864, which later evolved into today's Dhaka South City Corporation," he said.

He said this was why 1 August had been designated as "Dhaka Day".

"Dhaka has witnessed major events in Bangladesh's history, including the Language Movement, the Liberation War, the 1990 mass uprising and the 2024 mass uprising," he said.

The city corporation aims to build a clean, green, smart and citizen-friendly capital while preserving that heritage, he added.

Abdus Salam urged residents to regard Dhaka not merely as a place to live, but as their own city and home.

"People try to keep their homes, clothes and courtyards clean. In the same way, citizens should take responsibility for keeping the roads in front of their homes clean, planting trees where possible and maintaining a pleasant environment," he said.

Referring to Dhaka's air pollution, Abdus Salam said being among the world's most polluted cities was nothing to be proud of. "The situation could change if residents treated Dhaka as their own city," he said.