Durga Puja: Govt ensures foolproof security in country's 32,666 mandaps

The government has taken stringent security measures in and around 32,666 puja mandaps across the country on the occasion of the Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community.

The five-day festival begins on Wednesday (9 October) with the performing of various religious rituals of the Maha Shashthi. 

It will end on 13 October, marking Bijoya Dashami with immersion of idols in nearby rivers or ponds.

According to government data, Durga Puja will be celebrated in 32,666 temples and makeshift puja mandaps (pavilions) across the country this year.

The home ministry has already issued a set of directives for the field administration and law enforcement agencies to ensure a peaceful celebration of the puja, maintaining law and order situation in the country.

Decision has been taken to deploy members of police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Ansar and VDP, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and other forces to guarantee round-the-clock security in the puja pavilions during the festival, security sources said.

Directives have been given from the top level of law enforcement agencies to maintain the highest alert during the puja, as law enforcers are carrying out intelligence surveillance in plain clothes in the field.

Cyberspace monitoring is also underway to prevent the spread of rumours. However, SWAT, bomb disposal units, RAB helicopters, and striking forces will be kept ready at all times to deal with any untoward situation.

Archways and metal detectors will be installed at the entrances to key temples and makeshift puja pavilions. If necessary, a dog squad will be on duty in the entire area.

Every unit of the law enforcement agencies will ensure security in a coordinated way.

Directives have been given to law enforcement agency members to stay prepared to take required measures immediately based on intelligence information.

Besides, own volunteers of respective temples and puja mandaps will remain vigilant and they have been asked to seek help from the law enforcement agencies immediately if any inconsistency is found.

Police officials said there is no threat or information of a possible attack on Durga Puja. Even after that, all preparations have been made to ensure security for the peaceful and joyous celebration of Durga Puja.

According to the police headquarters, the Bangladesh Police gave safety suggestions to devotees.

The suggestions included staying alert so that no individual or group can destroy religious harmony and social peace by creating any unsubstantiated incident or rumour or spreading misleading information through social media such as Facebook, Twitter, YouTube or blog and so on and mobile phone. If such situation arises, police should be informed immediately.

Separate entrances and exit points should be arranged for male and female visitors at each puja pavilion.

One should refrain from entering the puja pavilions with any bag and packets. CCTV cameras and fire extinguishers should be installed in the puja pavilions.

Archway gates should be installed in important temples and puja pavilions. Volunteers should be deployed for the security. Volunteers are required to be provided with separate clothing, visible identity cards and armed bands with the words 'Volunteer'.

Meanwhile, on the occasion of Durga Puja, BGB members are patrolling puja pavilions in the bordering areas to maintain law and order and increase public confidence.

There are 39 puja pavilions located within 8km of the border in Debhata, Kaliganj and Shyamnagar upazilas of Satkhira district. These areas are under the Nildumur Battalion (17 BGB) of BGB.

On 3 October, a platoon of BGB members of the battalion, led by Assistant Director Shah Khaled Imam, visited these puja mandaps and surrounding areas and conducted a reconnaissance as part of security measures ahead of the puja.

BGB members also held necessary view-exchange meetings with the presidents of temples and puja mandaps, Hindu community members and the leading and distinguished persons in the concerned areas.

The recce team also monitored the CCTV cameras, generators and enquired about sufficient volunteers in the puja mandaps and visited the place designated for setting up the base camp of BGB.

According to Bangladesh Ansar and VDP, over two lakh members of Ansar and VDP will be deployed to ensure security during the puja festival.

Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad (BPUP) President Basudeb Dhar told BSS that the government is very sincere to ensure stringent security during the Durga Puja.

Apart from the law enforcement agencies, temple authority will ensure security through own volunteers at each puja pavilion, he said.

Dhar said members of the Bangladesh Army, Police, RAB, BGB, Coast Guard, River Police and Ansar have already taken massive security measures.

BPUP leaders held meetings with concerned officials of the law enforcement agencies including inspector general of police (IGP) and Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) commissioner, he said.

"We are expressing satisfaction as the law enforcement agencies have taken the highest security measures for Durga Puja," he said.

Talking to BSS, RAB Legal and Media Wing Director Lt. Col. Munim Ferdous said likewise every year, RAB members have taken special security measures at over 32,000 pavilions across the country for Durga Puja.

RAB increased check-posts, intelligence surveillance and patrolling activities across the country, he said, adding that quick response team and striking force of RAB will be deployed to avert sabotage or untoward incidents as well as dog squad will also be in place.