Common in rural areas, Nouka Baich is a very old tradition of the folk Bengali culture going back centuries.

[8] Nouka Baich was also common during the British rule in the Sylhet region after the rainy season when much of the land goes under water.

The long canoes were referred to as khel naos (meaning playing boats) and the use of cymbals to accompany the singing was common.

In 2007, the British Bangladeshi community in Oxford initiated the first 'Nowka Bais' event in the United Kingdom as part of Oxfordshire County's 1000th birthday by getting two 40 ft canoes made in Sylhet, Bangladesh and bringing them to England.

[10] Nowka Bais in England has now become an annual cultural event attracting thousands such as the likes of the High Commissioner of Bangladesh.

Queen Elizabeth II issued a statement on the event and expressed her interest about the Bengali tradition to the founder of Nowka Bais UK and Oxford Bangladeshi Boat Club, Azizur Rahman.