DHAKA, Sept 27, 2025 (BSS) – Enhanced security measures have already been in place around 33,000 Puja Mandaps across the country for peaceful celebrations of the five-day Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of the Hindu community which begins tomorrow. 

Apart from the police, RAB, BGB, Coast Guard and military personnel, around 2 lakh Ansar personnel and 80,000 volunteers from the Ministry of Women and Children Affairs have been deployed across the country to ensure a security blanket over the country for safe and peaceful celebrations of the Puja. 

The home adviser has said all possible measures have been taken for peaceful and festive celebrations of the upcoming Durga Puja.

This year, as many as 32,990 puja mandaps have been set up across the country to celebrate Durga Puja from September 28 to October 2, according to the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief.  

Allocations for the puja mandaps have been increased to TK 5 crore this year from TK 2 crore , which was the amount in  the fallen fascist Awami League government. The interim government had allocated TK 4 crore last year for  Durga Puja celebration.

Each puja mandaps will also get 500 kilogram of rice apart from the money for ensuring festive celebrations of the Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of the Hindus.

The government has also made a detailed security plan for peaceful celebrations of Puja after holding meetings with all the stakeholders including the leaders of the puja celebration committees.

Security in three phases -- pre-puja, during puja, immersion of idols and post puja period will be in place around the Puja Mandaps across the country.

Home Adviser Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said the deployment of the law enforcement agencies have been in place across the country from September 24 to ensure security blanket over Puja celebrations.

He said the BGB has been asked to concentrate on the puja mandaps installed at the border areas while Bangladesh Navy, Coast Guard and River Police have been entrusted with taking care of the puja mandaps, set up at the coastal belts and riversides.

Some 430 platoons of Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) have been working to ensure overall security at 2,857 puja mandap across the country, including the capital city for peaceful and festive celebrations of the Puja. 

As many as 24 base camps of BGB have been set up to control the law and order situation across the country including border areas. 

Out of the total 2,857 puja mandaps under the jurisdiction of the BGB, 1,411 are in the border areas and 1,446 puja mandap are outside the border areas.

Among outdoor puja mandaps, there are a total of 441 in the capital city, Narayanganj and Gazipur City Corporations areas, 694 in Chittagong Metropolitan City, Raozan and Rangunia and 311 in other places.

River Police have specially been assigned to ensure safe immersion of the idols of the Goddess Durga. 

"Eight Ansar men and seven volunteers appointed by the respective puja celebration committee will be deployed at each puja mandap alongside the volunteers from the ministry of women and children affairs," the home adviser said.  

He said each puja celebration committee leaders  have been asked to install CCTV cameras in each puja mandap to ensure   round-the-clock security.
 
To make the security foolproof, patrol teams from police, RAB, and BGB will conduct regular patrols around the puja mandaps, he said, adding that the armed forces personnel will act as striking force.   

Jahangir Alam Chowdhury also said that an app was also developed for getting prompt information of any possible untoward incidents at the puja mandaps which help law enforcers to take immediate action.

 The home adviser confirmed that there are no security threats regarding Puja celebrations this year.

Police, RAB and military personnel will also oversee the overall security measures for peaceful and festive celebrations, he added.

"So, there is no security concern. Durga Puja will be celebrated this year with due religious fervour, sanctity, and festivity," he said.

The home adviser called upon all not to pay heed to any rumour centring the Puja.

"We're seeking everyone's cooperation for peaceful and festive celebrations," he said.

He hoped that this year's Dura Puja celebration will be much better in comparison to the previous year.

Inspector General of police (IGP) Baharul Alam said police will take security measures in three phases - pre-puja, during puja and idol immersion, and post-puja situation to ensure peaceful celebrations of Puja.

SWAT, Crime Response Team (CRT) and Bomb Disposal Unit will be kept ready round the clock to deal with any possible untoward situation during Durga Puja, he said.

Monitoring cells will be operational at Police Headquarters and other police units on the occasion, he continued.

 Police are making efforts to ensure that no one can cause any untoward incident during the Puja, he said.

To avoid any untoward situation, the leaders of the Puja Udjapan Parishad are requested to contact the National Emergency Service 999 or the nearest police station, he added.