Preparations afoot for Durga Puja in Gopalganj, Khulna

Preparations for the celebrations of Sharodiya Durga Puja Utsab, the biggest religious festival of the Bengali Hindu Community, are going on in full swing in Gopalganj and Khulna districts.

The celebrations will start on October 1 with Maha Sashthi and end with Bijoya Dashami on October 5 through the immersion of idols in the rivers and other water bodies.

Dr Asit Kumar Mallik, president of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, Gopalganj district unit said Durga Puja is going to be held at 1277 mandaps in five upazilas of the district, 340 mandaps will be erected in Sadar upazila, 315 in Kotalipara upazila, 298 in Muksudpur upazila, 230 in Kashiani upazila and 94 in Tungipara upazila.

Deputy Commissioner (DC) Shahida Sultana said all kinds of administrative steps will be taken to organise autumn Durga Puja in a festive atmosphere. The district administration and the law enforcement forces will carry out joint duties for this purpose.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Ayesha Siddika said stringent security measures have been taken for the smooth holding of the puja all over the district and law enforcement agencies will be in place to ensure a smooth celebration.

The monitoring team will work at the district and upazila level, Asit added.

In Khulna, all sorts of preparations for the peaceful celebration of Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of the Bangalee Hindu community, are being taken.

Artists and idol-makers, locally known as pauls, are passing the busy time making idols of the Goddess Durga.

General Secretary of city unit Puja Udjapon Parisad Prashanta Kumar Kundu said a total of 130 Puja Mandaps would be set up in the metropolitan city while 900 in all nine upazilas of the district.

Around 450 idol-makers are engaged in building idols for Durga Puja in Khulna, he said.

Khulna Metropolitan Police (KMP) and Khulna district police authorities have already taken adequate security measures for the smooth celebration of Durga Puja.

Additional deputy commissioner of KMP (Headquarter) Md Nazrul Islam said tight security measures, uninterrupted electricity supply and smooth traffic management will be ensured for a peaceful celebration of Puja.

“A total of 682 plain clothed police including 58 mobile teams will be on duty and 116 check posts would be set up in the metropolitan area,” he said.

Meanwhile, additional superintendent of Khulna police Shushanta Sarker said full-proof security measures will be taken at each temple in the district from next week.

Around 800 security personnel including 78 mobile teams will be deployed at the district Puja Mandap.

Besides, Ansar members will be deployed in all temples and RAB personnel will be patrolling in the city and district, said the Khulna deputy commissioner Md Moniruzzaman Talukder.