Hindu alliance warns 700 Durga Puja sites ‘at risk’ across Bangladesh, seeks Army deployment

Puja pavilions in every district, including Cumilla, Chattogram, Gazipur, Mymensingh, and Rajshahi, are at risk, the alliance says

The Sammilito Sanatani Jagaran Jote, an alliance of Hindu community groups, has identified more than 700 Durga Puja pavilions across Bangladesh as “vulnerable” ahead of this year’s festival.

The group has also demanded the deployment of the Army at every pavilion to ensure the Hindu community's biggest festival proceeds “smoothly”.

Speaking at a media briefing at the Dhaka Reporters Unity on Tuesday, the organisation’s representative Prodip Kanti Dey said: “So far, we have received information that idols in seven puja pavilions across five districts have been vandalised. We fear that more than 700 pavilions will be in a vulnerable state this year.”

He added that the Satkhira District has the highest number of sites at risk.

“Already, 55 puja pavilions in Satkhira have been designated as risky. In addition, pavilions in every district, including Cumilla, Chattogram, Gazipur, Mymensingh and Rajshahi, are at risk."

Prodip demanded adequate security for the vulnerable sites as well as the installation of CCTV cameras at government expense.

On the call for the Army to be deployed, he said that since the military has already been assisting the civil administration in maintaining law and order, it should also be engaged during Durga Puja this year to allow celebrations to take place safely and peacefully.

Another representative of the alliance, Piyush Das, said people no longer needed to check a calendar to know when Durga Puja was approaching -- reports of idol vandalism alone were enough.

These attacks were not being carried out by outsiders but from within the country, he said, calling for the perpetrators to be identified and punished.