Khulna:Preparations are in full swing for the upcoming Durga Puja, the largest festival for the Hindu community, set to commence on October 16. Artisans, known locally as pauls, are tirelessly putting the final touches on the idols of Goddess Durga.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, a total of 1,011 puja mandaps have been established throughout Khulna Metropolitan City and the district. Prashanta Kumar Kundu, the General Secretary of the city unit of Puja Udjapon Parishad, reported that 124 puja mandaps have been set up in the metropolis. In the district's nine upazilas, 887 mandaps have been prepared, stated Krishna Saha, President of the Khulna District Puja Udjapon Parishad.
More than 1,050 idol makers are engaged in crafting the idols across the city and district. Crowds have already gathered around temples and puja mandaps, eager to witness the preparations. Chandra Shekhor Mondal, an idol-maker at Dharmasava Puja Mandap, noted that earnings for idol makers have increased this year due to a rise in the cost of raw materials.
Sourov Ghosh Sony, General Secretary of the Arjya Dharmasava Puja Udjapon Committee, highlighted the increased preparation costs for Durga Puja, citing higher prices for raw materials and services from idol-makers, priests, and drummers. Both Prashanta Kundu and Krishna Saha confirmed that 80 to 85 percent of the idol-making work is complete.
Khulna City Corporation Administrator Nazrul Islam Manju and Khulna Deputy Commissioner Hoore Jannat are set to distribute allocated cash and rice to the managing committees of the 1,011 puja mandaps. Krishna Saha mentioned that the district administration would provide 600 kilograms of rice to each mandap in the district this week.
Security is a top priority, with Khulna city and district police implementing measures to ensure safe celebrations. KMP Commissioner Md Sazzadur Rahman stated that law enforcement officers are visiting each puja mandap daily, urging committees to deploy volunteers and install CCTV cameras. Superintendent of Police Sarker Omor Faruk outlined a risk-based security categorization for each mandap, with police and Ansar-VDP members deployed accordingly. The district police's Cyber Crime Monitoring Cell will monitor online activity to prevent the spread of misinformation and maintain communal harmony.