Special security measures, like every year, have been taken across the country for peaceful celebration of ‘Sharodiya Durga Puja,’ the greatest religious festival of the Bangalee Hindu community.
Meanwhile, the districts are abuzz in a festive mood as Puja will be celebrated from October 2 to 6.
Binoy Krisna Bala, Deputy Inspector General (DIG) of police of Rangpur range said they held a meeting at police headquarters recently to discuss security measures at the puja mandops, reports our Nilphamari correspondent.
Meetings were also held in districts and upazilas of the division with law enforcement agencies, administration, puja committees and others concerned for taking coordinated efforts to maintain a peaceful environment during puja, he said.
Sources at the office of the DIG informed that there are altogether 4,494 puja mandops in eight northern districts of Rangpur division.
Of them, 746 mandops are in Rangpur district, 1,038 mandops in Dinajpur, 567 in Gaibandha, 514 in Kurigram, 638 in Nilphamari, 350 in Lalmonirhat and 391 and 245 mondops are in Thakurgaon and Panchagarh districts respectively.
Meanwhile, the government is also providing all other supports including allocation of rice to make puja a grand success, officials said.
In Rangpur division, about 2,500 small and big groups of idol makers have already made idols for all the manads and the Hindus observed Mahalaya marking the arrival of Goddes Durga.
In Narail, most of the mandops have been made ready for worship amid a prevailing festive mood, reports our correspondent.
In the district, at least 571 mandops have been set up in three upazilas this year. DC office and puja observance committee sources said, of the total, 260 mandops are in Sadar upazila, 145 in Kalia and 166 in Lohagara upazila.
Marking the occasion, puja celebration committees have chalked out programmes like arati competition, prasad distribution, clothes distribution among the poor and cultural events, said Subash Bose, president of district Awami League and advisor of the district puja committee.
In Pabna, Mahalaya was observed on Tuesday morning, reports our correspondent.
District administration and district puja committee sources said Durga Puja would be held at 352 mandops in nine upazilas of the district.
They said, this year puja would be held at 49 mandops of Pabna Sadar upazila, 60 in Sujanagar upazila, 61 in Bera, 26 in Ishwardi, 15 in Atghoria, 56 in Chatmohar, 20 in Vangura, 17 in Faridpur upazila and 48 in Santhia upazila.
“All preparations for holding the Durga Puja are complete. The organisers are now busy presenting the beautiful idols of the goddess at the altars. Everybody is working with full enthusiasm,” Gonesh Chandra Ghosh, president of Pabna District Puja Celebration Committee said.
Kishoreganj district administration sources said, this year Durga Puja would be celebrated at around 363 puja mandops.
Of them, 51 mandops are in Kishoreganj Sadar, 10 in Karimganj, 18 in Pakundia, 13 in Hossainpur, 35 in Katiadi, 67 in Bazitpur, 29 in Kuliarchar, 25 in Bhairab, 25 in Itna, 14 in Mithamoin, 43 in Austagram, 17 in Nikli and 16 in Tarail.
Many cultural organisations in the district are preparing to hold colourful functions during the puja, reports our correspondent.