Durga Puja is around the corner; 257 mandaps were established in Dhaka

The Hindu community will celebrate Durga Puja, the largest religious festival in their community, at 257 mandaps in Dhaka city this year.

Durga Puja will begin on October 9 and will end with the ‘Bijoya Dashami’ procession and immersion of idols of Goddess Durga in water bodies on October 13.

Puja mandaps were installed at Dhakeshwari National Temple, Ramkrishna Mission and Ashram, Banani, Kalabagan, Shakharibazar, Siddheswari Kali Temple, Ramna Kali Temple, Jagannath Hall at Dhaka University and other temples in Farmgate, as well as at the historic areas of Shakharibazar and Tantibazar in Old Dhaka .

The final preparations for the puja are in full swing and the craftsmen are working on giving the final finishing touches to the idols.

Shoppers from this community flock to the city’s markets, designer stores and malls to get their hands on the best outfits.

Customers flock to traditional shops in Shakharibazar in Old Dhaka to buy essential items including shells, idol costumes, bells, earthen pots, earthen lamps, incense sticks, divine garlands, crowns, saris, dhotis, panjabis and various festive decorations.

To prevent any unexpected incidents during Durga Puja celebrations, stringent security measures have been taken across the country. A central police control room will be set up on the Dhakeshwari temple premises to supervise the overall security of mandaps in the capital.

After Saturday’s visit to the national shrine, Army Gen. Waker-uz-Zaman said: “Everyone in this country has equal rights. Everyone will practice their own religion. “Everything necessary will be done for this purpose.”

He assured that the army would be present on site for security purposes, encouraging people to visit the pavilions impartially. “We want to create a pleasant environment where everyone can celebrate the festival,” he said.

Over 212,192 Ansar and VDP members will be deployed in 32,666 seats across the country.

Additionally, members of the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will remain vigilant.