With Mongol Shobhajatra renamed, is its UNESCO status in jeopardy?

UNESCO has said it has not received any formal proposal regarding the decision to rename the “Mongol Shobhajatra”, the iconic Pohela Boishakh procession, now being referred to as the “Barshabaran Ananda Shobhajatra”.

According to a BBC Bangla report published on Thursday, any such change to a recognised cultural element requires a clear and formal procedure in line with the “living and dynamic nature” of intangible heritage, as acknowledged by the UN cultural agency.

UNESCO told BBC Bangla that the Intergovernmental Committee for the Safeguarding of the Intangible Cultural Heritage, comprising 24 member states, must approve any proposed change, including a name revision.

So far, UNESCO confirmed that it has not received any official application seeking approval for the change in name of the Mongol Shobhajatra.

The Faculty of Fine Arts at Dhaka University, the organiser of the event, announced on Apr 11 that the traditional Mongol Shobhajatra would henceforth be held as the Barshabaran Ananda Shobhajatra.

Asked whether UNESCO had been informed of the decision, Prof Azharul Islam, dean of the faculty, told bdnews24.com: “UNESCO recognition is handled by the government. I’m not aware whether the Ministry of Cultural Affairs has notified them.”

When it was pointed out that UNESCO requires a fresh application and approval to maintain its recognition under the new name, Azharul said: “We have a central committee at the university overseeing the procession. The decision to rename it came from there.

“We will now consult the committee to decide the next steps. Whether to reapply to UNESCO will also be determined after that discussion.”

Three officials from the Ministry of Cultural Affairs’ heritage wing declined to comment publicly when contacted.

They also said they were unaware of any communication with UNESCO regarding the name change and suggested contacting the cultural affairs advisor.

Repeated phone calls and WhatsApp messages to Cultural Affairs Advisor Mostofa Sarwar Farooki went unanswered.

Cultural Affairs Secretary Mofidul Rahman declined to comment, citing other commitments.

In 2016, United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) included the “Mongol Shobhajatra on Pohela Boishakh” in its list of Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Despite the change in name this year, the UNESCO website still lists the procession under its original title.

Originally introduced in 1989 by the fine arts faculty as “Ananda Shobhajatra”, the procession was later renamed Mongol Shobhajatra.

The UNESCO recognition brought new prominence to the tradition.

The name “Mongol Shobhajatra” has faced objections from Islamist groups almost every year.

This year, too, several groups voiced opposition, with many linking the name change to such pressure.

However, Prof Azharul denied that.

At a press briefing on Apr 11, he said the decision was not influenced by outside pressure.

“It’s not a change, but rather a restoration,” he said.

“We’ve simply returned to the original name,” he added.

This year’s theme was “Symphony of the New Year, End of ‘Fascism’”.

The Ananda Shobhajatra, which began at 9am on Pohela Boishakh, saw participation from 28 ethnic groups across Bangladesh, along with local band musicians.