Prime Minister (PM) Tarique Rahman has extended his heartfelt greetings to the people of the country on the eve of Pahela Baishakh.

He also announced that the government has begun rolling out a series of welfare programs to improve the quality of life for citizens across all segments of society, with a landmark farmers card scheme set to launch on the first day of the Bengali New Year.

The Prime Minister made these remarks in a nationally televised message delivered on the eve of Pahela Baishakh, the first day of Bengali New Year 1433, which will be celebrated across the country Tuesday.

Tarique Rahman highlighted that following the BNP’s landslide victory in the February 12 general elections, which he described as bringing an end to what he called a decade and a half of fascist rule, the new democratic government has wasted no time in fulfilling its electoral commitments.

Among the programs already underway, the Prime Minister cited the distribution of family cards, sports cards, a canal excavation initiative, and financial assistance to religious leaders including imams, muazzins, and khatibs.

The imminent launch of the farmers card, however, was presented as a signature initiative timed deliberately to coincide with Pahela Baishakh, a festival deeply intertwined with Bangladesh’s agricultural heritage.

“This farmers card will play a vital role for the peasants and the agricultural economy of the country,” he said, describing it as a meaningful gift to rural communities on this culturally significant occasion.

In his message, the Prime Minister offered greetings to Bengali-speaking people around the world, calling Pahela Baishakh a timeless symbol of cultural identity, history, and collective spirit.

He reflected on how the festival has endured for centuries as a moment of national renewal, inspiring people to shed the burdens of the past and embrace fresh possibilities.

Tarique Rahman acknowledged the festival’s deep roots in Bangladesh’s agrarian tradition, noting that even in an era defined by technological advancement, farmers continue to structure their agricultural cycles around the rhythms of the Bengali calendar and the natural world.

He celebrated the richness of traditional Baishakhi customs including the Baishakhi mela, the Baishakhi sobhajatra procession, and the halkhata ceremony, describing these events as living expressions of the nation’s cultural diversity and civilizational continuity.

Concluding his message on a unifying note, the Prime Minister pledged to govern with the welfare of all citizens as his guiding principle, urging people to rise above division and intolerance.

He expressed hope that the shared values of cultural harmony, religious respect, and democratic coexistence would continue to define and strengthen the fabric of Bangladeshi society in the year ahead.