RANGPUR, Oct 9, 2021 (BSS) - Artisans are passing busiest times as

preparations are nearing completion to celebrate the five-day Durga Puja, the
biggest religious festival of the Bangalee Hindu community, with due
religious fervour in the division.

   Local leaders of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad (BPUP) said the
celebrations will begin from October 11 and end on October 15 next with the
'Bijoya Dashami' procession and immersion of the idols of goddess Durga in
water bodies.

   Officials at Rangpur Range Office of Bangladesh Police said Durga Puja
will be celebrated peacefully at 5,189 mandaps in all eight districts of the
division abiding by the health directives in the wake of the Covid-19
pandemic.

   Steps are being taken to deploy police forces alongside Rapid Action
Battalion (RAB)-13, Highway Police, Ansar-VDP and community police at all
mandaps to ensure peaceful celebrations of Durga Puja across the division.

   Rangpur Metropolitan Police Commissioner Abdul Alim Mahmud today told BSS
that the Sanaton community will celebrate 'Sharodiyo' Durga Puja at 156
mandaps in the metropolis.

   "We will take sufficient security measures to ensure peaceful celebrations
of Durga Puja at all Puja mandaps," he said.

   Additional Divisional Commissioner (General) Md Zakir Hossain said
distribution of 2,594.50 tonnes of rice allocated by the government continues
among 5,189 Puja mandaps with 500 kg each in the division to assist the
Sanaton community in celebrating the Durga Puja.

   Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) of Rangpur Md Golam Rabbani said
947 Durga Puja mandaps have been erected this year in all eight upazilas,
Rangpur metropolis and three municipalities across the district.

   "We are distributing 473.50 tonnes of rice with 500 kg among each of the
947 mandap authorities across the district to assist in celebrating the
puja," he said.

   Artisans Manoranjan Paul, Adyta Sen, Akhil Chandra and Anil Kumar Paul at
different Puja mandaps in Rangpur said they are working round the clock to
complete coloring of the erected idols of goddess Durga with artistic
creativity.

   Artisans Upen Paul, Dulal Chandra and Amrita Paul said their artisan
groups are erecting the idols of goddess Durga at different Puja mandaps in
the city since last month.

   "After completing all major works, our artisans are giving finishing
touches to the idols with different colours to make those more attractive and
eye-catching," said Upen Paul.

   Like Rangpur, artisans of Dinajpur, Nilphamari and Kurigram districts are
also giving final touch to the idols of goddess Durga.

   Divisional Commissioner Abdul Wahhab Bhuiyan said the district and upazila
administrations and law enforcement agencies will take adequate security
steps to ensure peaceful celebrations of Durga Puja.