Twenty-two boats competed for prizes as folk music, community festivities and a youth-led environmental awareness campaign brought the riverbanks alive.
Tens of thousands of spectators gathered along the Kaliganga River in central Bangladesh on Saturday for a traditional boat race, reviving a long-suspended form of folk entertainment and celebrating Bengali cultural heritage.
The race began in the afternoon from Boali Ghat under Manikganj Municipality, passing through Beutha, Andharmanik, Bandutia, Pouli and Joynagar before reaching its finale at the Tora-Mirzapur Majhipara river junction.
Large crowds filled both banks of the river, with people arriving from early morning along roads leading to the riverfront. The event highlighted the non-communal character of Bengali culture.
Organized by the Manikganj district unit of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), the competition featured 22 boats across four categories, with participants from Manikganj and neighboring districts. Food Minister Afroza Khanam Rita officially inaugurated the event at noon in the Beutha area.
Traditional musical instruments and folk songs known as Jari-Sari echoed along the riverbanks as the boats competed. The winning teams in each of the four categories received motorbikes as first prizes, while the runners-up were awarded refrigerators.
Speaking as the chief guest, Food Minister Afroza Khanam Rita said the traditional folk entertainment, which had been suspended for a long time, had finally been revived.
“Such events will now be organized annually for the people of Manikganj. Boat racing is not merely a sport; it is a vital heartbeat of our culture that must be kept alive for future generations,” she said.
S. A. Jinnah Kabir, a member of parliament for Manikganj-1, said the event had brought together people in a display of communal harmony on both sides of the Kaliganga.
“There is no alternative to such sports events to keep our youth away from drugs and negative cultural influences,” he said.
The event was chaired by Advocate A. T. M. Zahir Alam Khan Lodi, convener of the Boat Race Management Committee.
Deputy Commissioner Nazmun Ara Sultana, Superintendent of Police Mohammad Sarwar Alam, District Council Administrator Advocate Jamilur Rashid Khan, District Youth Dal Joint Convener Masud Parvez, Member Secretary Tuhinur Rahman Tuhin and other local prominent figures attended the event.
The race concluded without any major untoward incidents.
A voluntary youth organization, Green Mind Youth Forum, also used the event to promote environmental and climate awareness. From under the Tora Bridge, young volunteers travelled by boat, urging spectators not to throw plastic waste into the river.
The volunteers engaged spectators through songs and performances while promoting cleanliness.
