United News of Bangladesh

Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, ended in Bangladesh on Wednesday with the immersion of idols of Goddess Durga and her children in water bodies across the country. According to Hindu belief, Durga has returned to her husband's abode at Kailash in Devaloy through the immersion. In the capital, thousands of people thronged the Buriganga River to observe the final phase of the festival -- immersion of the goddess. Hindu devotees from different parts of the city came to the ghat in trucks carrying idols while singing hymns to Durga with the sounds of musical instruments such as 'Shankha', 'Khol', 'Dhak'.  

Hindu devotees particularly women celebrated Bijoya Dashami with sindur khela, dance and music at different Durga Puja mandaps across the capital on Wednesday.  

Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, will end in Bangladesh on Wednesday with the immersion of idols of Goddess Durga and her children in water bodies across the country. According to Hindu belief, the goddess Durga will return to her husband's abode at Kailash in Devaloy through immersion. In the capital, thousands of people will throng the Buriganga River to observe the final phase of the festival -- immersion of the goddess.  

Hindus across the country celebrated Kumari Puja on the Maha Ashtami on Monday as part of Durga Puja. The main attraction of Maha Ashtami is Kumari Puja where a pre-pubescent girl is worshipped as “Mother Goddess”. In the capital, hundreds of Hindu devotees offered Anjali (prayers) before the virgin Goddess at Ramkrishna Mission Temple seeking blessings for peace, prosperity, welfare, fraternity and changing of their lot.

The formal rituals of Sharadiya Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of the Hindu community, began at Dhakeshwari National Temple in the capital on Friday evening.

Gulshan-Banani Sarbajanin Puja Foundation will showcase “Jalaja”, a theme inspired by water as the source of life, creation and divine power, at its Durga Puja mandap at Kemal Ataturk Park in Banani during the upcoming six-day autumn festival. The theme, meaning “born of water”, draws inspiration from the significance of water in both modern scientific understanding of the origin of life and ancient Sanatan philosophy, reflecting Bangladesh’s rich riverine landscape and its deep cultural and spiritual connection with water, said a press release on Thursday. The mandap will feature an aquatic-inspired design combining architecture, engineering, traditional crafts, lighting and decorative elements to create an immersive experience for visitors. Built using eco-friendly materials, including bamboo, cane, natural fibres and jute, the multi-layered structure will evoke the movement of waves, with waterfalls, reflection pools and carefully designed lighting creating an atmosphere of tranquillity as visitors move towards the inner sanctum. According to the organisers, “Jalaja” seeks to go beyond religious symbolism by highlighting the importance of protecting water resources and the environment at a time when climate change, river encroachment and water pollution pose growing challenges. Architect Amiti Kundu and artist-researcher Partho Pratim Saha have planned, designed and supervised the mandap. The organisers said the venue would remain open to people of all faiths and backgrounds during the six-day autumn festival, offering visitors an opportunity to experience the artistic, spiritual and environmental messages of the theme.

Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, will begin in Bangladesh on Friday with Maha Shasthi. On the first day, devotees will perform Bodhan, the ceremonial awakening and invocation of Goddess Durga, marking the formal commencement of the festivities. This year, Durga Puja will be celebrated at 33,165 mandaps across the country. Devotees of all ages are expected to visit the mandaps and offer prayers to Goddess Durga, seeking divine blessings for peace, prosperity and the welfare of the country and its people. Mahalaya, which marks the beginning of preparations for Durga Puja, was observed across the country on October 9. It is associated with the ceremonial invocation of Goddess Durga and is observed seven days before the festival begins. The main rituals will continue through Bijoya Dashami on October 21, when devotees bid farewell to the goddess. The festival will conclude with the immersion of idols. This year, Maha Saptami Puja will be celebrated for two days on October 17 and 18, Maha Ashtami on October 19, Maha Nabamai on October 20. Adequate security measures have been taken to ensure peaceful celebrations, with members of different law enforcement agencies deployed at puja mandaps across the country. A total of 212,118 members of the Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party have been deployed for security during the festival, with eight members assigned to each high-risk mandap and six to each of the other mandaps. Besides, 104 striking teams will remain on standby to respond quickly to any untoward incident, said its Director General Major General Abdul Motaleb Sazzad Mahmud at a press conference at its headquarters on Thursday. Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) is also setting up 18 base camps and strengthening patrols to ensure security at around 1,800 puja mandaps located within eight kilometres of the country's borders during Durga Puja. BGB Director General Major General Mohammad Ashrafuzzaman Siddiqui disclosed the plan while talking to reporters after inspecting the security arrangements at the Ramna Kali Mandir in the capital on Thursday afternoon. He said BGB personnel have already visited the mandaps and contacted puja committees in their respective areas to coordinate security measures. The government has declared a three-day holiday on the occasion of Durga Puja from October 20 to 22. With October 23 and 24 falling on Friday and Saturday, the regular weekly holidays, there will be a five-day vacation from October 20 to 24.  

The government has declared a three-day holiday for Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, from October 20 to 22. The Ministry of Public Administration issued a gazette in this regard on Wednesday. According to the gazette notification, October 20 will be a holiday on the occasion of Mahanabami under an executive order, while October 21, the day of Bijoya Dashami, will be a general holiday. October 22, which was previously a working day, has also been declared a holiday under an executive order. As October 23 and 24 are Friday and Saturday, the weekly holidays, people will be able to enjoy five consecutive days off from October 20 to 24. However, government, semi-government, autonomous, semi-autonomous and private offices will remain open on Saturday, October 17, to compensate for the additional holiday. The decision to reschedule the holidays was approved at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Secretariat on Monday. The notification said emergency services, including electricity, water, gas and other fuel supplies, fire service, port operations, sanitation, telephone and internet services, postal services and related transport services will remain outside the purview of the holiday. Hospitals, emergency medical services and personnel involved in such services will also continue their duties. Doctors, medical staff and vehicles transporting medicines and medical equipment will likewise remain outside the holiday coverage. Offices involved in emergency work will also remain open. Bangladesh Bank will issue necessary instructions to keep banking activities operational during the holiday, while the Supreme Court will issue directives regarding court proceedings. For private-sector industries, factories and establishments, the Ministry of Labour and Employment will issue necessary instructions regarding the general holiday in accordance with the Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006.  

The Hindu community in Bangladesh is set to celebrate Janmashtami, marking the birth of Lord Krishna, on Friday with due religious fervour. According to Hindu belief, Lord Vishnu incarnated as Lord Krishna on this day to protect “Dharma” from evil and restore righteousness. Krishna was born to Devaki and Vasudeva in Mathura on the eighth day of the bright fortnight, known as “Shukla Pakkha”, in the Bengali month of Bhadra during the Dwapara Yuga. The day is a public holiday in Bangladesh. National dailies will publish special articles while Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television and other private TV channels and radio stations will air special programmes highlighting different aspects of Lord Krishna’s life and teachings.

The holy Eid-e-Miladunnabi, commemorating the birth and death of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), will be observed across the country on Wednesday with due religious reverence and solemnity. The government and various other organisations have taken elaborate programmes to mark the occasion with due respect. The national flag will be hoisted atop all government, semi-government and autonomous offices, as well as private buildings. As in previous years, important roads and key locations in the capital will be decorated with national and colourful flags and banners inscribed with the Kalima Tayyiba. The Islamic Foundation will organise various religious and cultural programmes, including Qirat, Naat recitations, poetry readings, cultural competitions and an Arabic Khutba writing contest. A month-long Islamic book fair will be held at the south plaza of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque. Bangladesh Television (BTV), Bangladesh Betar and other electronic media outlets will broadcast special programmes, while newspapers are expected to publish special supplements on the occasion. Bangladesh missions abroad will also observe the day with due solemnity and respect. Meanwhile, President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman have issued separate messages extending greetings to Muslims in Bangladesh and around the world on the occasion. In his message, the President said the Prophet (PBUH), through his life and deeds, set outstanding examples of truth, justice, forgiveness, compassion and respect for human dignity. “He established the rights of orphans, the poor, the helpless and the deprived. He also gave clear guidance on ensuring the rights of women, children, neighbours and working people,” he said. In a world devastated by war, conflict, violence, inequality and intolerance, the Prophet’s ideals of peace, justice, tolerance, love and humanity are more relevant than ever, Mirza Fakhrul said. He urged all to draw inspiration from the Prophet’s teachings and pledge to shun violence, hatred, division and injustice and work towards building a just society and state founded on peace, harmony, equality and humanity. In his message, the Prime Minister called upon people to follow the life and teachings of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) to build a peaceful, just and humane society. He said the Prophet’s life is a living embodiment of the teachings of the Quran and that he set outstanding examples of honesty, trustworthiness, justice, forgiveness, tolerance, compassion and charity. Tarique Rahman said the Prophet (PBUH) upheld human dignity and rights by transcending divisions based on race, ethnicity, tribe, language and social status. Referring to ongoing crises around the world, he said wars, conflicts, violence, inequality, intolerance and moral degradation were disrupting peace, security and normal life. “In such a time, the teachings of the Prophet (PBUH) on peace, justice, compassion, forgiveness and humanity are highly relevant,” he said. The Prime Minister urged people to incorporate those teachings into their personal, family and social lives, saying mutual respect, compassion, tolerance and a sense of justice are essential to building a peaceful, just and humane Bangladesh. He also prayed for peace, justice, equality, prosperity and humanity in Bangladesh and across the world.