Desk Report
Published: 12 Oct 2021, 06:06 pm
Maha Saptami today || Photo; Collected
The five-day 'Sharadiyo Durgotsav,' the Bengali Hindu
community's largest religious holiday, began Monday with Sashthi Puja and will
conclude on October 15 with the immersion of Goddess Durga idols in rivers and
water bodies near temples across the country.
Today (Tuesday), Maha Saptami, Kumari Puja, and Sandhi Puja are
being held, followed by Maha Ashtami on Wednesday, and Maha Nabami Puja on
Thursday.
Various religious ceremonies have been shortened this year
to avoid infection by the global pandemic Covid-19, as per instructions.
The Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad has dubbed this year's
Durgotsav simply "Durga Puja" in order to avoid any complications
surrounding the holiday.
During the Durga Puja celebrations, leaders of the
Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad asked everyone to follow the government's
health rules and directions released in the aftermath of the global pandemic
COVID-19.
According to the directions, when approaching the puja
mandap, one must maintain health guidelines such as social separation, using
hand sanitizer, and wearing a mask.
Hand washing stations, sanitizers, and a thermal scanner
should all be available at puja mandap entry points.
Durga Puja has been held at 32,118 mandaps across the
country this year, including 128 in Dhaka.
Additional squads of Ansars, police, RAB, and other law
enforcers have been deployed at all Puja pandals across the country, including
the capital, to ensure a peaceful celebration of the festival.
In addition, volunteer groups will assist at the puja
pandals.