The West Bengal government has issued a notification declaring Poila Boisakh, the first day of the Bengali New Year, as the State Day and a song Banglar Mati Banglar Jal written by Rabindranath Tagore as the State Song.
- State Day will be named ‘Bangla Divas.‘
- As per the state government notification, the approximate playing time of the State Song is 1 minute and 59 seconds.
- In September 2023, West Bengal Assembly passed a resolution declaring Poila Baisakh as statehood day and Rabindranath Tagore’s song Banglar Mati Banglar Jal as the state anthem.
- Earlier, Governor C.V. Ananda Bose also observed June 20 as Paschim Banga Dibas, triggering a war of words with the State government. On June 20, 1947 the Bengal Legislative Assembly held a meeting to decide if the Bengal Presidency would stay with India or Pakistan, or be divided, having the Hindu majority districts staying with India as West Bengal and the Muslim majority areas forming East Pakistan.
