The Chittagong Hill Tracts are preparing to welcome the traditional New Year with the grand celebration of the 'Boisabi' festival, a unique cultural fusion rooted in the heritage of indigenous communities including Chakma, Marma, Tripura, Tanchangya, and others.

The term "Boisabi" is an acronym formed from three major ethnic celebrations—Chakma’s "Biju", Marma’s "Sangrai", and Tripura’s "Boisu". These ethnic groups, part of the larger Mongoloid community, observe the arrival of the New Year and farewell to the old during the last two days of the Bengali month of Chaitra and the first day of Boishakh.

Deeply influenced by Southeast Asian Buddhist traditions, similar New Year festivals such as “Songkran” are also observed in Thailand, Myanmar, Laos, and Cambodia. The celebration reflects a cultural harmony among various indigenous groups, who mark the festival with rituals, traditional games, dance, music, and a range of festive foods.

From the hills of Bandarban to the heart of the capital Dhaka, the festival will feature flower-floating ceremonies, cultural parades, and water games—symbolizing renewal, joy, and spiritual cleansing. Ethnic communities including the Mro, with their traditional “Changkran” festival and performances using large bamboo flutes, will add to the diversity and vibrancy of the occasion.

Boisabi is not only a cultural celebration but also a reflection of unity and shared heritage among Bangladesh’s indigenous peoples. The Ministry of Chittagong Hill Tracts Affairs has taken initiatives to hold a central celebration in Dhaka, starting from April 12, bringing together communities, traditions, and generations under one festive umbrella.