Hefazat calls 'Mongol Shobhajatra' a Hindu ritual, urges renaming to 'Ananda Shobhajatra'

Hefazat-e-Islam Bangladesh has labelled the Mongol Shobhajatra — a central part of Pahela Baishakh celebrations — as a Hindu ritual linked to Janmashtami, and called for the removal of the word "Mongol" (auspicious), suggesting it be replaced with "Ananda" (joyful).

In a statement today (10 April), Hefazat's Amir Muhibbullah Babunagari and Secretary General Sajedur Rahman said Mongol Shobhajatra is rooted in Hindu traditions and has been falsely imposed on the public in the name of cultural inclusivity.

The leaders asserted that the procession mirrors what the Hindu community organises every year during Janmashtami to mark the birth of Lord Krishna. "We respect the right of minorities to celebrate their religious festivals," the statement read.

"But the forceful inclusion of this religious ritual in Pahela Baishakh, under the guise of so-called universality, is a form of cultural imposition."

Hefazat also criticised what they called "secular cultural fascism" aimed at erasing Muslim cultural heritage and identity.

They singled out the Fine Arts Faculty of Dhaka University as the origin of what they described as this imposed culture, claiming it was used to establish secular domination.

They traced the term Mongol Shobhajatra back to the 1989 Pahela Baishakh celebration, arguing that the original name was Ananda Shobhajatra, which they claim was later changed as part of an "Indian conspiracy."

The statement further criticised the 2016 recognition of Mongol Shobhajatra by Unesco as an "Intangible Cultural Heritage" during Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina's tenure, calling it state-sponsored distortion.

Hefazat leaders urged the Ministry of Cultural Affairs to formally write to Unesco, demanding a review and correction of what they called a historical misrepresentation.

To resolve the ongoing "crisis," they proposed the reinstatement of the term Ananda Shobhajatra as a neutral, non-religious alternative. "We oppose any form of idol-worship in national celebrations," the statement emphasized, "especially in a Muslim-majority country where the symbols of national identity should not conflict with Islamic monotheism."

They further alleged that the Mongol Shobhajatra is "flooded with idols and imagery of Hindu deities and animals," which they argue is unacceptable in a secular setup. "Secularists never object to this, but are quick to target Islamic symbols under the pretext of neutrality," the statement read. "In the name of ancient tradition, they have always acted as lobbyists for Mongol Shobhajatra."

Hefazat called for preserving Islamic history, heritage, and cultural practices in order to resist the spread of "foreign cultural influence" in Bangladesh.