A total of 561 puja mandaps are being erected for the Sharadiya Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu Community, of the district this year.
This was disclosed by president of Bangladesh Puja Utjapon Parishad (BPUP), district unit, Principal Paresh Chandra Saha in a preparatory meeting, organized by district administration on forthcoming Durga puja.
Of the total, some 92 mandaps would be erected in Sadar upazila, 125 in Sundarganj upazila, 126 in Gobindaganj upazila, 90 in Sadullapur upazila, 57 in Palashbari upazila, 58 in Shaghata upazila and 13 in Fulchhariu pazila of the district, he said.
The five-day long puja would begin from October 9 and conclude on October 13 through the immersion of idols at different waterbodies including canal, pond and river, he added.
As per mythology, on the 6th day (Maha Shashti) Goddess Durga would land on earth with her 4 children: Goddess Saraswati, Goddess Laxmi, Lord Ganesha, and Lord Kartikeya.
The meeting was also addressed, among others, by superintendent of police Md. Mosarrof Hossain, president of district puja celebration parishad principal Paresh Chandra Saha, acting general secretary Bimal Kumar Sarker, President of Sadar upazila Puja Celebration Parishad Sujon Proshad and president of Sundarganj Puja Celebration Parishad Nemai Bhattacharja.
DC Chowdhury Moazzam Ahmad said 500 KGs of rice would be allotted for each mandap on behalf of the government to celebrate the festival peacefully.
SP Md. Mosarrof Hossain said full-proof security measures would be taken in and around of all the puja mandaps of the district by the law enforcing agencies to ensure a peaceful atmosphere for holding the puja festival smoothly.
He also urged the leaders of BPUP to guard the puja mandaps through keeping volunteers so that none can damage the idols of the mandaps and hamper the celebration, he mentioned.
Police, ansar and VDP members would be deployed at puja mandaps and the elite forces RAB would also patrol on the road to hold the puja smoothly, the SP added.
Stern and lawful action would be taken against the persons who would be involved in creating anarchy and trouble at the time of puja, the SP warned.
A number of district level officials, representatives of RAB camp, army officials and journalists attended the function.
