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200-year-old traditional boat race festival begins in Gopalganj

Published : Monday, 26 October, 2026 at 9:56 PM

Observer Correspondent

Collected Photo

A three-day traditional boat race festival, spanning a legacy of 200 years, commenced in Kotalipara Upazila of Gopalganj on Monday (October 26) afternoon.

Organised spontaneously without any formal committee or prize money, the event drew thousands of spectators from across the region.

The festival began at Babur Khal in Bil Baghia under Kalabari Union of Kotalipara. A two-kilometre stretch from Kaliganj Bazar to Khejurbari hosted the boat races alongside a traditional village fair, which will continue until Wednesday evening.

Diverse traditional racing boats—including Sarenga, Chhip, Kosha, Chilakata, and Joynagar Bachari—from Gopalganj, Madaripur, Pirojpur, and Barishal districts participated in the event.

Decorated in vivid colors, the boats raced to the rhythm of oars, beat of drums and gongs, and traditional folk music. The crowds packed both banks of the canal to witness the event, with floating markets on boats serving as an added attraction.

Local residents stated that the boat race has been celebrated for nearly two centuries, passed down through generations, with boatmen voluntarily taking part each year to uphold the tradition.

The festival will continue from noon to evening on Tuesday (October 27) and Wednesday (October 28), concluding on Wednesday evening.

-EM

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Editor : Iqbal Sobhan Chowdhury

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