ZCZC
BSS-45
DURGA-PUJA-CTG
Durga Puja begins in Ctg amidst festivity, enthusiasm
CHATTOGRAM, Oct 22, 2020 (BSS)- The five-day long Sharadiya Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Bangali Hindu community, began today in the city and 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 number of Hindu devotees were seen assembling at all puja mandaps maintaining social distance to offer Shasti in different areas in the city and district.
A good number of Hindus from all walks of life visited the JM Sen hall and Ramkrishna Mission maintaining health rules and wearing masks which are considered to be the central attraction of venues of the Durga Puja in Chattogram.
Meanwhile, a total of 2,167 puja mandaps, including 252 in the city, have already been set up this year in 15 upazilas of the district.
Sources said there are over 120 more puja podiums in the city and district this year compared to the last year.
Police, district administration and leaders of Hindu community are in frequent touch and exchanging views with each other so that Durga Puja can be celebrated in a 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 the important Puja Mandaps in the city and district this year.
Both district and Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) administrations 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/KS/FI/ 1919 hrs