Dhaka, Oct 19 (UNB) –President Abdul Hamid on Friday urged all irrespective of religions, caste and creed to work unitedly for preventing all evil activities to keep the pace of development uninterrupted.

 “Anti-liberation evil forces are repeatedly trying to obstruct the country's democratic progress and development process. All these evil activities should be prevented unitedly to keep the pace of development uninterrupted,” he said.

He said while talking to reporters at a reception for the members of the Hindu community on the occasion of Durga Puja at Bangabhaban.

He said that Durga Puja is not only a religious festival but also a social festival.

 "All regardless of religion and caste celebrate the festival. This religious and social festival makes a bridge of harmony among people. So this is a universal festival," he added.

The President said Durga Puja's message is establishment of peace in the society through defeating all evil forces.

“Though the nation got the independence 47 years ago under the leadership of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, we have not yet achieved the dream of Bangabandhu,” he added.

President Abdul Hamid said all should come forward for the welfare of humanity alongside  performing religious customs.

Mentioning the existing communal harmony as the tradition of Bengalis, the President said this tradition must continue through combined efforts of all.

Abdul Hamid and his wife Rashida Khanom also exchanged greetings with the guests.

Hindu religious personalities, leaders of various puja committees Indian High Commissioner Harsh Vardhan Shringla, among others, joined the reception.

Dhaka, Oct 19 (UNB) – People from all walks of life on Friday paid their last tributes to celebrated guitarist, songwriter, composer and singer AyubBachchu at the Central ShaheedMinar when millions of fans in every corner of the country and abroad are mourning the irreparable loss. 

The body of the popular singer, carried by an ambulance, reached the ShaheedMinar around 10:25am.

The body was kept there until 12:30pm giving a chance to his fans, well-wishers and followers to see him for the last time.

Road Transport and Bridges Minister ObaidulQuader, Cultural Affairs Minister Asaduzzaman Noor, SommilitoSangskritikJote leaders including eminent drama personality Nasiruddin Yusuf Bachchu, AyubBachchu’s colleagues, fellow musicians, artistes and cultural activists along with people from all walks of life gathered there to pay their respects.

Singers, musicians, cultural personalities and fans started crowding the venue since early morning. After arrival of the body, they placed wreaths on the coffin of Bachchu. They also observed one minute’s silence paying homage to the genius.

Talking to the reporters ObaidulQuader said, “We are shocked at the untimely death of AyubBachchu. I pray for the salvation of the departed soul.”

The fellow colleagues who had the opportunity to work closely with AB were sharing sorrows with each other recalling their memories with the rock star. 

Huge members of law enforcers were deployed at the Central ShaheedMinar who had to struggle to manage the crowd. 

Noted singer and composer Nakib Khan who knew Bacchu since his early life said AyubBachchu will remain alive in their hearts.

“It’s an irreparable loss,” he said adding that Bachchu was not just a singer rather he was also a songwriter and composer.

Fahmida Nabi said this vacuum will exist as a golden chapter ends. “We are deeply saddened with his family members and millions of fans across the country. We pray for his departed soul.”   

From the Central Shaheed Minar, the body was taken to National Eidgah where his first namaj-e-janaza was held after Jumma prayers joined by thousands of people.

The body was taken to his own studio AB Kitchen in city’s Moghbazar area where his second namaj-e-janaza was eld.

The third namaj-e-janaza was held at Channel i premises. Later, the body was kept at the mortuary of Square Hospital.

Bachchu will be buried next to his mother at their family graveyard in Chattogram on Saturday. His son and daughter are scheduled to arrive home from Australia and Canada respectively early Saturday.

He left behind his wife, a son and a daughter, alongside a huge number of relatives, disciples and admirers to mourn his death.

The rock legend and founder of musical band LRB died of a heart attack in Dhaka on Thursday at the age of 56.

Having known the hardships budding artists have to endure, especially when starting out, the multi-talented singer and songwriter wanted to see young talents across the country get support for their growth. 

“This music world is in an uncertain path. We need to protect the artists. We need to send the title – insolvent musicians (dusthoshilpi) – to the museum,” said Bachchu, one of the true pioneers of the genre that became known as Bangla ‘band music’, mostly inspired by Western rock and roll acts. 

Ayub Bachchu, who had started his music career from his birth place Chattrogramwith the band Feelings in 1978, before finding fame with one of Bangladesh’s most famous bands, Souls, on lead guitar and sharing vocal duties. 

He would go on to leave Souls citing creative differences, and form LRB, essentially the closest thing in Bangladesh to a superstar vehicle, in which Bacchu acted as lord and master. 

Bacchu showed a patriotic soul  once he took to wrapping up each of his live concerts to the tune of national anthem “Amar Sonar Bangla, Ami TomaiValobasi” blaring from his guitar. Although knowing his rocker’s soul, he may just have been taking after one of his heroes Jimi Hendrix, who famously did the same with the US national anthem at a stage of his career. 
 

Mymensingh, Oct 19 (UNB) – Train communications on Chattogram, Netrakona and Bhairab routes were suspended on Friday following derailment of a bogie of a train at Balashpur in the city.

Zahurul Islam, station super of Mymensingh Rail Station, said a bogie of a Mymensingh-bound freight train from Chattogram veered off the tracks  around 4:30 am, halting train movement.

On information, a relief train went to the spot to salvage the train.

Netrakona-bound ‘Haor Express’ train remained stranded at the railway station following the incident.

Dhaka, Oct 19 (UNB) - The five-day Durga Puja, the greatest of all Hindu festivals, will come to an end today (Friday) with solemn immersion of the Goddess Durga in the capital and elsewhere in the country.

Devotees are thronging Puja mandaps to celebrate BijoyaDashami, the last day of the festival and reciting the mantras and offering flowers to the goddess Durga (pushpanjali) and praying for her blessings.

Each of the mandaps across the country has been ornamented with beautiful idols, showcasing the goddess in all her glory.

BijoyaDashami is the special ceremony of reaffirming peace and good relations among people.

On this day, families visit each other to share sweetmeats. Married Hindu women put vermilion on each other's forehead on the occasion.

This year, the religious festival is being celebrated at some 31,000 puja mandaps throughout the country, including the capital.

In the capital, thousands of people are set to throng the Buriganga today to observe the final phase of the festival -- the immersion of the goddess Durga.

Devotees in their tearful eyes will bid farewell to the mother deity and her children – Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh – through the immersion of their idols in the water wishing Durga’s return next year.

Meanwhile, there will be strict security measures in place so that Durga Puja ends peacefully.

The five-day festival started on October 15 with the incarnation (Bodhon) of the Goddess Durga marking Sashthi.

Durga Puja, the annual Hindu festival also known as Sharadiya (autumnal) DurgaUtsab, is the worship of "Shakti" [divine force] embodied in goddess Durga.

It symbolises the battle between good and evil where the dark forces eventually succumb to the divine.
 

Dhaka, Oct 18 (UNB) - Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, ends on Friday with the immersion of idols of Goddess Durga across the country.

This year, the religious festival is being celebrated at some 31,000 puja mandaps throughout the country, including the capital.

Devotees in their tearful eyes will bid farewell to the mother deity and her children – Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesh – through the immersion of their idols in the water wishing Durga’s return next year.

Meanwhile, there will be strict security measures in place so that Durga Puja ends peacefully.