RANGPUR, Oct 15, 2018 (BSS) – Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Bangalee Hindu community, began today with the incarnation (Bodhon) of the Goddess Durga in Rangpur division with huge enthusiasm and due religious fervour.
Tens of hundreds of devotees started thronging Puja mandaps since the morning to have a glance at goddess Durga and seek her blessings for their well-being and welfare.
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 through immersion of the idols erected in 5,265 Durga Puja mandaps in all the eight districts of the division after celebration of the ‘Moha Dashami’ on October 19.
The district administrations have already distributed 500-kg of rice among each of the 5,265 Puja mandap authorities in the division to celebrate the greatest festival.
Deputy Inspector General for Rangpur Range Devdas Bhattacharya said special security measures have been taken with the deployment of police RAB, Highway Police, Ansar- VDP and community police for peaceful celebrations of the festival.
The Deputy Commissioners, Police Supers, UNOs, officials, politicians, leaders of different socio-cultural organisations and BPUPs are visiting the Puja mandaps.
Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Abdul Alim Mahmud said the Sanaton community already started celebration of the ‘Sharodiya’ Durga Puja today at 166 mandaps in the metropolitan city area.
“We have taken adequate steps to ensure peaceful celebrations of the religious festivity in all Puja mandaps located under all six Thanas of Rangpur Metropolitan Police in the city,” Alim added.
Leaders of the district unit of BPUP here said the Sanaton community people today started celebrations of the Durga Puja amid huge enthusiasm in all 938 Puja mandaps erected in the district.
“We have distributed 469 tonnes rice among the 938 Puja mandap authorities with 500-kg for each to celebrate the Durga Puja,” said Acting District Relief and Rehabilitation Officer (DRRO) Abul Hayat.
Talking to BSS at different Puja mandaps in city today, the devotees expressed satisfaction over the steps taken by the government and said that they started offering prayers, Puja, archana, kirtons and other religious rituals peacefully.
Acting President of Rangpur district unit of BPUP Ajoy Prasad Babon thanked the government and authorities concerned for taking adequate steps to ensure peaceful celebrations of the Durga Puja in every Puja mandap.
Similar reports on the beginning of celebration of the Durga Puja festival have been received here from Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram and Gaibandha districts under Rangpur division.