Photo : BSS

CHATTOGRAM, Sept 28, 2025 (BSS)-  The five-day Sharadiya Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of the Bangali Hindu community, commenced on Sunday in the city and throughout the district with traditional fervor and solemnity.

 The festivities began with Bodhan (the ritual of giving life to an idol) and will culminate with the immersion of the Goddess Durga on Bijoya Dashami.  Many Hindu devotees gathered at various puja mandaps to offer prayers in different areas of the city and district.

 A significant number of Hindus from diverse backgrounds visited the JM Sen Hall and Ramkrishna Mission, which are popular venues for Durga Puja celebrations in Chattogram.

This year, a total of 2,494 puja mandaps have been set up in 15 upazilas of the district, including 292 in the city. 

Police, district administration, and leaders of the Hindu community are in frequent communication to ensure peaceful celebration of Durga Puja. 

Each puja mandap in the city and district is being monitored by a team of six to eight law enforcement members. Leaves of all police staff have been canceled, and separate control rooms have been set up at the district and Chattogram Metropolitan Police headquarters. The CMP has formed striking forces and deployed necessary platoons of APBN as part of security measures. 
Check posts and CCTV cameras have been installed at strategic points to monitor safety and security for the devotees. Entry points to the city are under tight security with CCTV monitoring, and instructions have been given to search for suspicious persons. 

Rapid Action Battalion (RAB)-7 has also implemented comprehensive security measures for the successful celebration of the holy occasion.