Rajshahi, Nov 08 (V7N) — The colorful Wangala and Loban Festival 2025 was celebrated in Rajshahi on Friday, highlighting the rich cultural heritage and thanksgiving traditions of Bangladesh’s indigenous communities. The day-long celebration took place at the premises of the Good Shepherd Cathedral Church in Baganpara, bringing together more than 1,500 representatives from various ethnic groups across the Rajshahi, Mymensingh, and Dinajpur regions.

The festival, chaired by community leader Nokma Lotus Chisim, featured Rajshahi Catholic Diocese Bishop Gervas Rozario as the chief guest. Among the special guests were Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Din Mohammad, Vicar General Father Fabian Marandi, Caritas Bangladesh Regional Director Dr. Arok Toppo, Nanking Group Chairman Ehsanul Huda, Director of Rajshahi Divisional Small Ethnic Cultural Academy Harendra Nath Singh, Rajshahi Parlor Association President Ruksana Huda, Principal of the Nursing Training Institute Ms. Sulta, and Vice Chairman of the Good Shepherd Cathedral Church Parish Council Francis Soren.

During the event, participants offered prayers of gratitude to God and dedicated the season’s harvest as a symbol of thanksgiving. Members of the Garo, Santal, Paharia, Mahali, and Orao communities presented traditional dances, songs, and cultural performances that showcased their agricultural and spiritual traditions.

The Wangala and Loban Festival, celebrated annually by indigenous groups in different regions of Bangladesh, marks the end of the harvest season and expresses gratitude for nature’s blessings. Organizers said the 2025 festival emphasized unity, cultural preservation, and mutual respect among communities.

The festive atmosphere was filled with the sounds of traditional drums, folk music, and colorful attire, reflecting the harmony between faith, culture, and nature that defines indigenous life in northern Bangladesh.

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