Chattogram:The five-day Sharadiya Durga Puja, the largest religious festival for the Bengali Hindu community, has commenced in Chattogram and its surrounding district with great enthusiasm and traditional fervor.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the festivities started with the Bodhan ritual and will conclude with the immersion of the Goddess Durga's idol on Bijoya Dashami. Numerous Hindu devotees have gathered at various puja mandaps across the city and district to offer prayers.
In Chattogram, popular venues like JM Sen Hall and Ramkrishna Mission have attracted a significant number of visitors. This year, a total of 2,498 puja mandaps have been established across 15 upazilas of the district, including 296 within the city itself.
To ensure a peaceful celebration, police, district administration, and Hindu community leaders are maintaining close coordination. Each puja mandap is monitored by a team of six to eight law enforcement officers. The leaves of all police personnel have been canceled, and separate control rooms are operational at both the district and Chattogram Metropolitan Police headquarters. The CMP has also formed striking forces and deployed necessary platoons of APBN for enhanced security.
Strategic points throughout the city are equipped with check posts and CCTV cameras to ensure safety and security for all attendees. Entry points to the city are under strict surveillance, with CCTV monitoring and searches for suspicious individuals being conducted. Additionally, SRB-7 has implemented comprehensive security measures to facilitate a successful celebration of this holy occasion.