RANGPUR, Oct 04, 2019 (BSS) – The five-day celebrations of the greatest
religious festival of Durga Puja of the Sanaton community began with ‘Bodhan’
today at all 5,385 Puja mandaps in Rangpur division amid due religious
fervour and gaiety.
Thousands of the Sanaton devotees, including men, women, housewives,
adolescents, girls and youths started thronging Puja mandaps since this
morning to have a glance at goddess Durga and seek her blessings for their
well-being and welfare.
Officials of the district and police administrations said the law
enforcement agencies and local units of Bangladesh Puja Udjapon Parishad
(BPUP) have taken adequate steps to ensure peaceful celebrations of the
festivity.
The celebrations will end with immersion of the idols erected in record
number of 5,385 Puja mandaps, higher by 120 thanks last year’s number of
5,265 mandaps, in all the eight districts of the division on the ‘Moha
Dashami’ on October 19 next.
Authorities of all eight district administrations have already distributed
500-kg rice among each of the 5,385 Puja mandap authorities in the division
to assist the Sanaton community celebrating their greatest religious
festival.
Deputy Inspector General for Rangpur Range Devdas Bhattacharya said
special security measures have been taken with deployment of police, RAB,
Highway Police, Ansar-VDP and community police to ensure peaceful
celebrations of Durga Puja festival.
Local Members of the Parliament, Deputy Commissioners, Police Supers,
UNOs, officials, politicians, leaders of socio-cultural organisations and
BPUPs are visiting the Puja mandaps and extending cooperation to the Sanaton
community people.
Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md. Abdul Alim Mahmud said the
Sanaton community already started celebrations of the ‘Sharodiya’ Durga Puja
today at all 164 mandaps erected at different places under jurisdictions of
the metropolis.
“We have taken sufficient steps and security measures to ensure peaceful
celebrations of the five-day religious festival at all Puja mandaps located
under all six police stations of Rangpur Metropolitan Police,” Alim added.
Deputy Commissioner of Rangpur Md. Asib Ahsan said celebrations of Durga
Puja festival began today at record number of 952 Durga Puja mandaps this
year against 938 mandaps last time in all eight upazilas, Rangpur metropolis
and three municipalities in the district.
Police Super of Rangpur Biplob Kumar Sarker said ample security steps have
been taken to ensure peaceful celebrations of the Durga Puja festival at all
Puja mandaps erected in all eight upazilas of the district this year.
Acting president of Rangpur district unit of BPUP Ajoy Prasad Babon said
the Sanaton community people today began celebrations of the Durga Puja amid
huge enthusiasm and appreciable security measures at all 952 Puja mandaps
erected in the district.
Talking to BSS at different Puja mandaps here today, the Sanaton devotees
expressed satisfaction over the security steps taken saying that they are
offering prayers, Puja, archana, kirtons and other religious rituals
peacefully.
General Secretary of Rangpur district unit of BPUP Dhiman Bhattacharya
thanked the government and law enforcement authorities concerned for taking
satisfactory steps to ensure peaceful celebrations of the Durga Puja festival
in every Puja mandap.
Divisional Commissioner KM Tariqul Islam said the district and upazila
administrations and law enforcement agencies have taken adequate security
steps to ensure peaceful celebrations of the five-day Durga Puja festival in
all eight districts of the division.
Similar reports on the beginning of celebrations of the Durga Puja
festival have been received here from everywhere in Panchagarh, Thakurgaon,
Dinajpur, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Gaibandha districts of the
division.