Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, began at Jagannath Hall of Dhaka University (DU) on Wednesday amid tight security.
The puja celebration committee has completed almost all preparations and the authorities concerned have taken steps, including restoring surveillance boxes and giving guidelines for students and guests, to celebrate the festival peacefully.
Prof Debashish Pal, Provost at Jagannath hall, and the Puja Celebration Committee at a press conference on Wednesday gave 25 instructions for the students and guests.
The DU authorities have reactivated six surveillance boxes at entry points, including Nilkhet, Palasi, Shahbagh, Burn Unit, Doyel Chattar and Shaheed Minar, to celebrate the festival in a safe, peaceful and festive manner. Instructions for the guests
In the instructions for the guests, the authority says that the solemnity and sanctity of Durga Puja should be maintained, no one should climb the main altar of the temple without special need, worshipers of all religions, castes, classes and professions should be treated with respect, no anti-state or anti-religious comments on the premises of a place of worship or hall, students may not enter the building or room without permission from the hall administration, no vehicles are allowed to enter the hall premises.
In addition, the relevant personnel must cooperate with the security management and search, visitors must enter and exit through designated hall gates, breastfeeding corner set up in at guestroom, mothers can breastfeed if necessary, any suspicious person seen on the premises of worship should be reported to the authorities concerned, party spray, gas balloons, firecrackers cannot be carried and used in the hall, garbage must be disposed of in designated areas or bins in the hall, pronami or donations can be made at designated boxes or information centres in places of worship, no smoking or consumption of alcoholic products inside the hall and must leave the hall as soon as possible.
Instructions for students
According to the instructions for the students, all the resident and non-resident students of Jagannath Hall must carry their identity cards with them, no motorcycle shall enter hall without stickers provided by the hall administration, solemnity and sanctity of Durga Puja should be maintained, the main altar of the temple cannot be climbed without special need, all religions and castes should be treated respectfully in the place of worship, and comments against any religion should be avoided.
Besides, comments against the country and the state cannot be made in places of worship, no guest may be taken to the building or room without permission of the hall administration, any suspicious sightings should be reported to the relevant authorities, party spray, gas balloons, fireworks are prohibited inside the hall and littering is prohibited.
