DHAKA: Nabanna Utsab, the traditional harvest festival, is being celebrated across the country, on the first day of Agrahayan of Bangla calendar that falls on Saturday.

Jatiya Nabanna Utsab Utjapan Parshad, the celebration committee, arranges day-long cultural programs to celebrate the day at fine arts faculty of Dhaka University widely known as Charukala.

Eminent Language Movement activist Ahmed Rafiq inaugurated the programme at 7:01am.

The auspicious beginning was followed by a rally called ‘Nabanna Shobhajatra’ from Charukala at 9:30 in the morning which paraded the Teacher-Student Center (TSC) of Dhaka University intersection and return to the fine arts faculty.

First part of the celebration was ended with the completion of ‘Nabanna Shobhajatra’.

The second part, that will include music, dance, recitation, traditional games and discussion, will resume at 3:00pm and continue till 9:00pm.

Artist Abul Barak Alvi, media personality Shykh Seraj, Jatiya Nabanna Utsab Utjapan Parshad chairperson Laila Hasan and convener Shahriar Salam will join the ‘Nabanna Kathan’, a discussion about the festival.

Channel-i, a private TV channel, will air the program live.

BDST: 1317 HRS, NOV 14, 2014