PM to visit Durga Puja pavilion in Ctg today

CHATTOGRAM, Oct 17: The five-day Sharadiya Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of the Hindu community, began in Chattogram city and across the district on Friday with traditional fervour and festivities.

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman will visit the Durga Puja mandap at JM Sen Hall in Rahmatganj on Tuesday. In preparation for the visit, Chattogram Mayor Shahadat Hossain inspected the venue on Friday afternoon.

The festivities began with Bodhan, the ritual of invoking the presence of Goddess Durga in the idol, and will culminate with the immersion of the idol on Bijoya Dashami. Hindu devotees gathered at various puja mandaps across the city and district to offer prayers.

A significant number of devotees from diverse backgrounds visited JM Sen Hall and the Ramakrishna Mission, two popular venues for Durga Puja celebrations in Chattogram.

This year, a total of 2,498 puja mandaps have been set up in the district’s 15 upazilas, including 296 in the city.

Police, the district administration and Hindu community leaders are coordinating efforts to ensure peaceful celebrations. 

Checkpoints and CCTV cameras have been installed at strategic locations to ensure the safety and security of devotees. Entry points to the city are under tight security, with CCTV surveillance in place and instructions issued to search for suspicious individuals.

The SRB-7 unit has also taken comprehensive security measures to ensure the smooth celebration of the festival.