Sampriti Jatra flags 29 districts as ‘vulnerable’ ahead of Durga Puja

Sampriti Jatra, a newly formed civic platform, has warned that 29 districts across Bangladesh face risks of communal tension and violence during the upcoming Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community.

The organisation said the “risk map” was prepared after analysing incidents of attacks over the past decade on venues, procession routes, and minority homes during Puja and other occasions. Of the 29 districts, five have been categorised as “high risk”.

The announcement came at a press conference held on Saturday at Dhaka Reporters Unity, titled “Sampriti Jatra’s call to protect mosques, temples, shrines, akhras and marginalised communities, and review of risks and required measures during the upcoming Durga Puja.”

Writer and researcher Mir Hojaifa Al Mamduh presented a written statement, publishing the list of vulnerable districts, following the formal launch of the platform at the event.

According to his account, the five districts at high risk are Dhaka, Rangpur, Jashore, Chandpur and Noakhali.

The districts listed as medium risk are: Gazipur, Faridpur, Manikganj, Rajbari, Chattogram, Bandarban, Cumilla, Brahmanbaria, Lakshmipur, Feni, Pabna, Chapainawabganj, Natore, Lalmonirhat, Dinajpur, Gaibandha, Satkhira, Bagerhat, Khulna, Kushtia, Sunamganj, Barishal, Patuakhali and Netrokona.

The remaining 35 districts were not excluded from the risk map either, being categorised as “low risk” based on the prevailing circumstances.

Mir explained that the level of risk was determined considering factors such as fatalities and injuries in attacks, arson, looting, simultaneous outbreaks of violence at multiple sites, repetition of incidents over different years, as well as the scale and nature of targets.