Bangladesh opens Durga Puja celebrations in pandemic

Durga Puja, the largest annual event of the Hindu community, has begun across the country with the Maha Sasthi Puja.

Glitz Correspondentbdnews24.com
Published : 11 Oct 2021, 06:50 AM
Updated : 11 Oct 2021, 06:50 AM

The rituals started at 9 am on Monday amid much fanfare, said Kishore Ranjan Mandal, an organiser of the celebrations in Dhaka city.

According to Hindu scriptures, the day marks the sixth day of the moon when the Goddess Durga comes down to earth from heaven to establish peace and harmony by annihilating evil forces.

The five-day religious extravaganza will come to an end with the immersion of the goddess' idols in water on Oct 15.

Face masks have been made mandatory for visitors to the venues due to the coronavirus pandemic, said Mandal. This year, no dance competitions, cultural events or fairs will be held in the vicinity of the temples. Separate lines will be arranged for men and women at the entrances of temples.

Durga Puja is being organised across 32,117 venues this year. Compared to last year, the number of pandals has increased by 1,905. The Puja will be held in 238 pandals in Dhaka this year.

The police put strict security measures in place, said Shafiqul Islam, the commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

The commissioner stressed the need to adhere to hygiene rules to reduce the transmission of infections.