Bangladesh, Jan. 2 -- As 2025 gave way to 2026, millions of people across the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) region and the wider Arab world marked the transition into a new calendar year in diverse and meaningful ways. While the Gregorian New Year does not carry universal religious significance across the region, its arrival has increasingly become a shared cultural moment – one that offers space for reflection, connection, and collective hope. Against a backdrop of conflict, political uncertainty, economic hardship, and humanitarian challenges, the welcoming of 2026 carried a deeper resonance than mere celebration. It became, for many, a quiet yet powerful affirmation of life, resilience, and social cohesion.

The transition ...