ZCZC
BSS-30
PUJA-BEGIN-CTG
Durga Puja begins in Ctg amidst festivity, enthusiasm
CHATTOGRAM, Oct 4, 2019 (BSS)- The five-day long Sharadiya Durga Puja, the
biggest religious festival of the Bangali Hindu community, began today in the
city and as elsewhere in the district amidst traditional enthusiasm and due
solemnity.
The celebration began with Bodhan (the process of infusing life into idol)
and would end with immersion of Goddess Durga on Bijoya Dashami.
A large numbers of Hindu devotees were seen assembling at all puja mandaps
to offer Shasti in different area in the city and district.
A good number of Hindus from all walks of life visited the JM Sen hall and
Ramkrishna Mission which are considered to be the central attraction of
venues of the Durga Puja in Chattogram.
Meanwhile, a total of 2,144 puja mandaps, including 270 in city, have
already been set up this year in 15 upazilas of the district.
Sources said there are over 200 more puja podiums in city and district
this year compared to the last year.
To mark the celebration, city mayor AJM Nasir Uddin inaugurated a function
at Jamal Khan Kushum Kumari School premises today.
Police, district administration and leaders of Hindu community are on
frequent touch and exchanging views with each other so that Durga Puja can be
celebrated in peaceful manner like previous year, community and
administration sources said.
They said a six to eight members team of law enforcers drawn from police
and Ansars have been deployed in each Puja Mandaps in the city and district.
Both district and Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) administrations have
already cancelled leaves of all police staff excluding the members of Hindu
community and opened separate control rooms at their respective headquarters
to monitor the situation.
The CMP authority also formed a good number of striking forces, necessary
platoons of APBN to face any sudden problems, the CMP sources said.
Besides, setting up of huge check posts, nearly 100 Closed Circuit
Television (CCTV) cameras would also be set up at different strategic points
to monitor the security measures arranged for devotees after and before the
Puja celebration.
All the entry points of the city like Shah Amanat Bridge, City Gate and
Oxygen areas in the port city were brought under tight security measures with
CCTV monitoring. Necessary instruction was also given to search the
suspicious persons at any points during the festival.
On the other hand, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-7 has taken all-out
security measures to make the holy occasion a total success.
BSS/MAM/SSS/2008 hrs