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BSS-13
PREPARATION-PUJA-RANGPUR (with picture)
Durga Puja preparations: Artisans busy in Rangpur division
RANGPUR, Sept 28, 2019 (BSS) – The artisans are passing busiest time as
preparations nearing completion to celebrate the five-day Durga Puja, the
greatest religious festival of the Sanaton community, with due religious
fervour in Rangpur division.
Beginning from October 4, the festival will end on October 8 next through
celebration of the ‘Bijoya Dashami’ with immersion of the idols of goddess
Durga, local leaders of Bangladesh Puja Udjapon Parishad (BPUP) and officials
said.
Deputy Inspector General of Bangladesh Police for Rangpur Range Devdas
Bhattacharya informed that Durga Puja will be celebrated peacefully at all
5,221 mandaps, excluding Rangpur metropolis, in all eight districts of
Rangpur division amid tight security.
“Adequate number of members of police forces along with members of Rapid
Action Battalion (RAB-13), Highway Police, Ansar-VDP and community police
will be deployed to ensure peaceful celebrations of Durga Puja everywhere,”
Devdas said.
Talking to BSS, Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md. Abdul Alim
Mahmud said the Sanaton community will celebrate ‘Sharodiya’ Durga Puja at
164 mandaps in the metropolis this year.
“We have taken ample security measures to ensure peaceful celebrations of
the greatest religious festivity of the Sanaton community at all Puja mandaps
located under jurisdictions of Rangpur Metropolitan Police,” he added.
Like in all eight districts of Rangpur division, Rangpur Police Super for
Biplob Kumar Sarker said adequate steps have been taken to assist the Sanaton
community in celebrating the Durga Puja festivity peacefully in eight
upazilas of Rangpur.
Deputy Commissioner of Rangpur Md. Asib Ahsan said a record number of 952
Durga Puja mandaps (938 mandaps last year) have been erected this time in all
eight upazilas, Rangpur metropolis and three municipalities in the district.
“We have started distribution of 476 tonnes of rice with 500 kg among each
of the 952 mandap authorities across the district to assist the Sanaton
community in celebrating the Durga Puja festivity in a befitting manner,” he
added.
Deputy Commissioner of Kurigram Sultana Pervin today told BSS that the
district administration already distributed 500 kg rice among each of the 499
Puja mandaps erected in all nine upazilas of Kurigram district.
“The district administration has also extended assistance to authorities of
different Puja mandaps damaged by recent flood for repairing those and
erecting idols of goddess Dura there to celebrate the Durga Puja festivity in
Kurigram,” Pervin added.
Talking to BSS, artisans Anil Kumar Paul, Shyamol Dutta, Adyta Sen,
Manoranjan Paul and Amrita Paul at different Puja mandaps in the city said
they are passing busiest time to complete coloring of the idols of goddess
Durga with artistic creativity.
They said their artisan groups started erecting the idols of goddess Durga
at 30 Puja mandaps in the city adjoining areas since last month this year.
“After completing all major works, we are giving finishing touches to the
idols with different colours to make those more charming and eye-catching in
looks,” said Shyamol Dutta.
Artisan Raj Kumar and Shushanto Karmaker said they have erected six
mandaps in Hakimpur upazila of Dinajpur and are giving finishing touches and
charming colours to the idols of goddess Dura to make those more attractive.
Hakimpur upazila Chairman Harun Ur Rashid and President of Hakimpur
upazila unit of BPUP Suman Kumar Mandal said adequate steps have been taken
for ensuring peaceful celebrations of the Durga Puja at all mandaps in the
upazila.
Similarly, artisan Mithu Malakar of Boidder Bazar area in Rajarhat upazila of
Kurigram said his group of artisans has erected 30 sets of idols of goddess
Durga in the upazila at the rate of Taka 12,000 to Taka 15,000 per set of
idols.
“We are working round the clock to give finishing touches with colour
works to make the idols more attractive,” said Mithu adding that a total of
111 Puja mandaps have erected idols of goddess Durga in Rajarhat upazila this
year.
Divisional Commissioner KM Tariqul Islam said the district and upazila
administrations and law enforcement agencies have taken adequate security
steps for ensuring peaceful celebrations of Durga Puja in the division.
BSS/SPL/MI/MR/ 1500 hrs