People of the Hindu community in Rajshahi on Wednesday celebrated their Moha Astami of the five-day Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of the community, amid great enthusiasm and festive mood.
The religious festival was marked by puja, arati, recitation from scriptures, distribution of proshad, offering devotional songs and bhajans.
A large number of devotees are seen visiting different puja mandaps to have a look at the decorated goddess Durga today. The Durgotsob is being celebrated in 3,432 puja mandaps in all eight districts under the Rajshahi division in addition to 93 in Rajshahi city with special arrangements amid the novel coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic situation.
Each of the puja mandaps was given five tonnes of rice on behalf of the respective district administrations for smooth celebration of the puja in the division this year.
Rajshahi City Corporation donated Taka 10,000 to each of the city's 74 puja mandaps for the successful celebration of the festival.
Shyamal Kumar Ghosh, Rajshahi city unit general secretary of Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad said that the Durga Puja is being celebrated in a festive mood.
Decorations of temples, lighting and setting up of mandaps have already turned the city into a festive look, he added.
Mayor of Rajshahi city AHM Khairuzzaman Liton visited some of the city's Puja Mandaps on Tuesday evening and exchanged his pleasantries with the devotees.
The celebration will end through the immersion of idols of goddess Durga on Bijoya Dashami on Friday.
Meanwhile, foolproof security measures were taken in the city and its adjacent areas to avert any untoward incident during the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community.
"We have adopted tight security measures to make the Rajshahi city's Durga puja celebration festive and successful," said Abu Kalam Siddique, commissioner of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police.
Police administration of all the respective areas have chalked out necessary security measures to make the celebration a success, he added.
Officers-in-Charge of the police stations were asked to keep close contact with the puja committees round the clock.
Abdul Baten, deputy inspector general of police, said three-tier security measures have been adopted everywhere in the division.
Members of law enforcement agencies have already been deployed at all the important points of the city.
He said the leaders of Puja Udjapan Parishad have been urged to set up close circuit cameras in the major puja mandaps.
