ZCZC
BSS-14
DURGA-PUJA-BRIEFING
Durga Puja to be held in 31,398 mandaps countrywide
DHAKA, Sept 30, 2019 (BSS) – Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival
of Bangalee Hindu community, will be celebrated in 31,398 permanent and
temporary puja mandaps across the country this year.
A total of 483 puja mandaps have increased this year as the number of
mandap was 30915 in the last year.
The information was disclosed today at a press conference of Bangladesh
Puja Udjapan Parishad (BPUP) at Dhakeswari National Temple here.
“The number of puja mandaps has increased because of the economic
advancement of the country and the security measures taken by the pro-
liberation government for the peaceful celebration of the festival,”
Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad General Secretary Nirmal Kumar Chattarjee
said while reading out the written statement in the press conference.
BPUP President Milon Kanti Dutta, its adviser and journalist Swapan
Kumar Saha and Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee President Shailendra Nath
Majumder addressed the press conference while leaders of BPUP and Mahanagar
Sarbajanin Puja Committee were also present on the occasion.
According to the written statement, a total of 237 puja mandaps will
worship Durga Puja in the capital Dhaka while the number of mandaps was 234
in the last year.
A total of 7271 mandaps will hold Durga Puja in Dhaka division, 4456 in
Chattogram, 2545 in Sylhet, 4936 in Khulna, 3512 in Rajshahi, 5305 in
Rangpur, 1741 in Barishal and 1632 in Mymensingh.
Apart from Chattogram, Rangpur, Mymensingh and Rajshahi, the number of
puja mandaps has increased in other four divisions. Highest numbers of puja
will be arranged in Chattogram district with 1774 puja pandals.
The Puja Udjapan Parishad leaders expressed satisfaction over the
security measures taken by the government across the country for peaceful
celebration of Durga Puja this year.
The annual five-day “Sharodiya Durgotsab” will begin with the
incarnation (Bodhon) of the Goddess Durga on the day of Maha Sashthi on
October 4. Maha Saptami puja will be performed on October 5, Maha Ashtami on
October 6, Maha Nabami on October 7 and the festival will end with the
immersion of the idols of the Goddess Durga on Bijoya Dashami on October 8.
Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad (BPUP) also placed a 12-point demand
including three-day government holidays on the occasion of Durga Puja, the
largest religious festival of Bangalee Hindu community.
“Rangpur-3 by-election, scheduled to be held on October 5, is on the
second day of Dugra Puja. We demanded for holding the polls on October 9 or
10 instead of October 5,” Nirmal Chattarjee said.
The other demands included remaining stopped the examinations of
schools, colleges, universities and job recruitment tests on the days of
Durga Puja, illuminating key government buildings including Bangabhaban,
Ganabhaban and Nagar Bhaban decorating streets with greeting messages during
the puja as like as other national festival.
They also demanded providing special foods at prisons, hospitals and
orphanages, constituting Hindu Foundation in place of Hindu Religious Welfare
Trust, ensuring uninterrupted power supply at temples during the puja,
setting up a model temples in each upazila, providing cash money instead of
rice as government donation during the puja.
BSS/ASG/MKD/FI/ 1645 hrs