5-day long Durga Puja begins Friday

Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of Bengali Hindu community, began on Friday.

Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of Bengali Hindu community, began on Friday (October 20) with Maha Shasthi puja at temples across the country amid festivity and religious fervour.

The five-day-long Durga Puja celebration begins with the unveiling of the face of the deity and Kalparambho on the day of Maha Sashthi and it will come to an end on October 25 with the immersion of the idols of goddess Durga in rivers and other water bodies.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina conveyed their greetings to the Hindu community on the occasion of Durga Puja through separate messages.

In a message, the president remarked that Durga Puja combines the traditions and culture of Bengal, and the Hindu community in the country has been enthusiastically celebrating this festival with various programs for a long time.

"Preserving communal harmony is an enduring Bengali tradition. We should uphold this tradition as we strive for our overall progress. I am confident that the inclusive spirit and unity within Bengali culture will play a significant role in achieving the vision of 'Sonar Bangla' envisioned by Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the 'Smart Bangladesh' concept presented by the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. My hope is for peace and humanity to prevail worldwide."

In her message, Hasina said that Durga Puja is not confined to the Hindu community but has evolved into a celebration for everyone.

Security measures have been beefed up at temples and pandals with the deployment of additional squads of Ansar, police, RAB and other law enforcement agencies for peaceful celebration of the festival.

Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad General Secretary Prof Chandranath Poddar Durga Puja is being held in 32,408 mandaps across the country.