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Bangladeshis

celebrate the year

1403 in peace

DHAKA: Bangladeshis ushered in the year 1403 during a rare period of political peace on Sunday with firecrackers, feats of physical prowess and parades.

The festivities marking the Bengali calendar new year began at one minute past midnight, with hundreds of crackers heralding the year's first day.

Witnesses said tens of thousands of people joined a "joy march" in the capital Dhaka, some wearing masks, others displaying their physical abilities to the beat of drums.

"This is a welcome relief from political monotony," said Dhaka University teacher Shahidur Rahman.

Bangladesh has been enjoying a period of relative political peace since March 30 when former Prime Minister Begum Khaleda Zia stepped down following two years of a violent opposition campaign of strikes.

A caretaker government has been appointed ahead of elections due before the end of June. Political analysts say the country may again see widespread violence in the run-up to the poll.

Sunday's New Year day's programmes included open-air yatra (theatre), feasts, cultural shows, painting exhibitions and a display of sculptures.

Kerbside shops sold clay toys, flowers and balloons while restaurants offered a special menu -- a mixture of puffed rice and water to be taken with dry fish paste.

Women in their best saris and men in pyjamas and punjabi took their children around the city. Saturday, usually a working day in mainly Moslem Bangladesh, was declared a holiday.-Reuter