Durga Puja to be held at 32,168 mandaps this year

Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad has said Hindus in Bangladesh will celebrate the annual festival Durga Puja at 32,168 mandaps across the country this year.

While sharing opinion at a meeting with journalists at the Dhakeshwari National Temple auditorium on Saturday morning, Parishad President JL Bhowmik said the government had beefed up security ahead of the festival as it did not want any more untoward incidents to happen.
Keeping that in mind, a greater number of law enforcement officials would be deployed compared to previous years, he said, adding that CCTV cameras had been installed at all mundaps.

Bhowmik said justice was not been served for the violence that happened last year. "We demand that those involved in these incidents be brought to justice."

Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad general secretary Professor Chandranath Poddar said the number of puja celebrations are increasing. 'It's certainly a matter of great joy for us."

Attention to three issues were drawn at the exchange of opinion meeting. Those were not announcing any political programmes, not to keep examinations at schools, colleges, public and private universities, and not to hold any recruitment test at the public and private organisations during the Durga Puja.

The five-day festival will begin on October 1 and end with the immersion of idols on October 5.

END/SZA