Bangladesh Celebrates Durga Puja Under Tight Security as Leaders Urge Harmony

Dhaka: Bangladesh is celebrating Durga Puja under extensive security arrangements, as Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir greeted Hindus at home and abroad, stressing communal harmony and equal rights for people of all faiths.

Rahman on Friday urged the Hindu community to celebrate the festival with joy, confidence and without fear, while Alamgir reiterated the government's commitment to religious freedom and equal rights, the state-run BSS news agency reported.

Durga Puja is the largest annual festival of Bangladesh's minority Hindu community and is celebrated at thousands of temporary and permanent venues across the country.

A total of 33,851 puja mandaps have been set up across Bangladesh this year, including 258 in the capital city Dhaka, according to the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad. The number has increased by nearly 1,500 from last year, according to BSS.

Bangladesh has put in place extensive security arrangements at the venues, including round-the-clock surveillance, uniformed and plainclothes police personnel and specialised units such as SWAT, quick response and bomb disposal teams.

Monitoring cells are operating at police headquarters and other police units to oversee the security situation and respond to incidents.

Special Response Battalion-2 has also announced enhanced intelligence surveillance, patrols, checkpoints and a 24-hour control room and hotline.

Two helicopters and drones are to be deployed during idol immersion, while a mobile application has been introduced to help people report incidents at puja venues directly to law enforcement agencies.

In his message on Friday, Prime Minister Rahman said the celebration of religious festivals reflected Bangladesh's longstanding religious and social values and cultural traditions. He said friendship, goodwill and fraternity among different communities were demonstrated through religious, cultural and social activities, BSS reported.

"Religion belongs to individuals, while the state belongs to all. Everyone has the right to security, regardless of religion," Rahman was quoted as saying by the news agency.

Rahman said the government was committed to building a welfare-oriented, safe and humane country for all citizens, irrespective of their political opinions, religion or ethnicity.

Rahman is also scheduled to visit a Durga Puja venue in Chattogram on Tuesday, BSS reported.

In his message, President Alamgir on Friday said Durga Puja was deeply intertwined with Bengal's social culture and heritage, beyond its significance as a religious festival. He expressed hope that the celebration would strengthen bonds among people of different faiths, BSS reported.

Alamgir said the government was supporting the management, renovation and development of Hindu religious institutions and places of worship, as it did for other religions, according to the report.

"Every religion teaches people truth, justice, restraint and the welfare of humanity. It keeps people away from injustice and falsehood and shows them the path to emancipation," the president said.

Alamgir called on authorities to ensure that all religious communities could observe their festivals freely and without discrimination, deprivation or insecurity because of religion, caste or communal identity.

Hindus account for about 8 per cent, or nearly 13 million, of Bangladesh's population of around 170 million, based on the 2022 census.

The Bangladesh government extended the Durga Puja holiday to three days this year through an executive order in response to longstanding demands from the Hindu community. Combined with the regular Friday and Saturday weekend, the extended holiday will provide a five-day break from October 16 to 20.

The government has also increased the allocation for Durga Puja mandaps to Tk 5 crore (Rs. 3.86 crore) from Tk 4 crore and raised the rice allocation per mandap to 600 kg from 500 kg, BSS reported.