BCCDI Events

UPOHAR BANGLADESH MELA

BCCDI Signature event “Upohar Bangladesh Mela”

Upohar Bangladesh Mela is a BCCDI (a.k.a. Bangla School) signature event. Annually this is the event where all students represent their breathtaking extraordinary performances. Thousands of community members participate to enjoy the entertainment of the BCCDI students and shop in many cultural arts and crafts stores (vendors) and taste gourmet foods.

POHELA BOISHAKH

Pohela Boishakh (Bengali New Year)

Pohela Boishakh (Bengali: পহেলা বৈশাখ) is the first day of the Bengali calendar which is also the official calendar of Bangladesh. This festival is celebrated on 14 April in Bangladesh and 15 April in the Indian states of West Bengal, Tripura, and Assam (Barak Valley) by Bengalis regardless of religious faith.

The celebration of Pohela Boishakh traces its roots back to Mughal rule in this region and also the proclamation of tax collection reforms of Akbar.

The festival is celebrated with processions, fairs, and family time. The traditional greeting for Bengalis in the new year is শুভ নববর্ষ “Shubho Noboborsho” which is literally “Happy New Year”. The festive Mangal Shobhajatra is organized in Bangladesh. In 2016, UNESCO declared this festivity organized by the Faculty of Fine Arts, the University of Dhaka as a cultural heritage of humanity.

PITHA UTSHOB

Pitha Utshob (Indigenous Food Festival)

Pitha (পিঠা), is a Bangla word that refers to an indigenous food and food tradition of Bangladesh and spreading some parts of India specially Bangla speaking region of India. Pitha Utshob (পিঠা উত্সব), is a part of food tradition and food culture of Bangladeshi cuisine and occupies an important place in our culinary culture emphasizing the importance of preserving and popularizing this art. For Bangalis it has been a long tradition to make varieties of Pitha, particularly in the winter. “Utshob”, on the other hand, means festival.

Pitha Utshob is a glorious exhibition in Bangladesh during the winter season where people get together to set up stalls and sell their homemade pithas. Pithas are traditionally made with ingredients such as sugar, molasses, milk, palm syrup/ date juice, and sometimes coconut.

In 1991, the Shishu Academy of Dhaka, Bangladesh arranged an exhibition of pithas, where 106 categories of Pithas were displayed. Pithas are popular all over the country and each area has its unique type of pithas. The most common and popular Pithas that are well-known throughout Bangladesh are Chitoi Pitha, Patishapta, Pakan, Bhapa Pitha, Andosha, Kulshi Pitha, Pata Pitha, Jhuri Pitha, Muthi Pitha, Roser Pitha and many more.

For the past 20 years, BCCDi hosting Pitha Utshob in Fairfax County, more than a few thousand community members participate to enjoy the entertainment by the BCCDI students and to shop in many cultural arts and crafts stores (vendors) and taste gourmets’ food.

MEMOIR

2023 AGM Presentation by General Secretary

December 11, 2023

Agenda•WELCOME and GREETINGS•Moment of Silence•President’s Remarks•General Secretary Report•Financial Statements•Notes From Principal•Discussion Q & A View…