Valentine's Day in Bangladesh

In Bangladesh, Valentine's Day has been popular since 1980s, despite of being celebrated since 498 AD all over the world.[1][2] On the day, especially youngs, people exchange various greeting cards, flowers, chocolates or gifts.[3][4] However, despite being much widespread, country’s conservative society view the celebration of the day as an un-Islamic value and a heretic culture, and thus discourage the celebration by the young boys and girls.

Once the country celebrated "anti-authoritarian day" popularly on the same date, before the Valentine's Day spread among the people.[5][6]

History

In 1993, in Banlgadesh, Shafik Rehman, a journalist and editor of Jaijaidin, celebrated Valentine's day.. While studying in London, he was acquainted with the western culture.[7] He highlighted the Valentine's Day to the Bangladeshis through his newspaper, Jaijaidin. It is learned that when someone went to his newspaper office in Tejgaon for a job, he had to take his girlfriend. Shafik Rehman was the first to use the title "Valentine's Day" (Bengali: ভালোবাসা দিবস), for this he is called the "Father of Valentine's Day in Bangladesh".[8] He also named "Love lane", the street in front of his office.[9]

Those Bangladeshis who were more cosmopolitan embraced the global Valentine's Day observance,[10] while those who were more conservative rejected the imported western celebration as un-Islamic,[11] in particular because of its emphasis on romance between unmarried boys and girls.[12] As recently as 2008, tensions between the two sides were high enough that many university students were afraid to celebrate the day on campus.[10]

More recently, western popular culture and global consumer culture have shifted Bangladeshi attitude towards acceptance of Valentine's Day. By 2018, it became common in Bangladesh for romance films to premiere on Valentine's Day and for businesses to offer special deals to couples on 14 February.[13]

Celebrations

This day is mainly celebrated in the urban areas of the country. Historically, the day had no effect in the villages[4] but in recent times, the day has partially influenced the village society also. No public holiday is declared on this day in Bangladesh.

On the day, people in various bonds, including mainly lovers, friends, husbands and wives, and also parents and children, students and teachers express their love for each other with flowers, chocolates, cards and other gifts. On this day, various parks and recreation centers of the country are full of people, of love.[14][15]

Bangladesh, however, is quite liberal and open about the celebration of Valentine's Day in comparing with neighboring India and Pakistan, whereas institutional attitudes towards Valentine's Day in these countries are more conservative.

References
  1. Butler, Alban (1981). Butler's Lives of the saints. Burns & Oates. ISBN 9780860121121.
  2. Chanchreek, K. L.; Jain, M. K. (2007). Encyclopaedia of Great Festivals. Shree Publishers & Distributors. ISBN 9788183291910.
  3. ভালোবাসা দিবসের জানা-অজানা. banglanews24.com (in Bengali). Retrieved 2020-02-14.
  4. ভ্যালেন্টাইন্স ডে: অনুভূতি প্রকাশের বাহানা মাত্র?. BBC News বাংলা (in Bengali). 14 February 2019. Retrieved 2020-02-14.
  5. "১৪ ফেব্রুয়ারি : ভালবাসা নয় অশ্লীলতার আগ্রাসন দিবস". DailyInqilabOnline. Retrieved 2020-02-14.
  6. "'ভালোবাসায়' চাপা পড়েছে স্বৈরাচার প্রতিরোধ দিবস". jagonews24.com. Retrieved 2020-02-14.
  7. ভালোবাসা দিবস নিয়ে ইতিহাসে যত কথা. RTV (in Bengali).
  8. কবে থেকে ভালোবাসা দিবসের শুরু :: দৈনিক ইত্তেফাক. The Daily Ittefaq (in Bengali). Archived from the original on 2016-08-06. Retrieved 2020-02-14.
  9. বাংলাদেশে ভালোবাসা দিবসের সূচনা শফিক রেহমানের. Bangladesh Pratidin (in Bengali). Retrieved 2020-02-14.
  10. Nelson, Matthew J. (2009). "Religion, Politics, and the Modern University in Pakistan and Bangladesh". In Ahmad, Mumtaz; Nelson, Matthew J. (eds.). Islamic Education in Bangladesh and Pakistan: Trends in Tertiary Institutions. Seattle: National Bureau of Asian Research. p. 77. ISBN 978-1-939131-01-0.
  11. Hossain, Akhand Akhtar (May 2012). "Islamic Resurgence in Bangladesh's Culture and Politics: Origins, Dynamics and Implications1". Journal of Islamic Studies. 23 (2): 181. doi:10.1093/jis/ets042.
  12. Moj, Muhammad (2015). The Deoband Madrassah Movement: Countercultural Trends and Tendencies. Anthem Press. p. 186. ISBN 978-1-78308-388-6.
  13. Bano, Masooda (2018). Modern Islamic Authority and Social Change. Vol. 1. Edinburgh University Press. p. 203. ISBN 978-1-4744-3324-2.
  14. Minhajuddin (14 February 2020). বিশ্ব ভালবাসা দিবস আজ. Bangladesh News Agency -bna (in Bengali). Retrieved 2020-02-14.
  15. ভালোবাসা দিবস আজ. Khola Kagoj BD. Retrieved 2020-02-14.
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