Sculptors in Bagerhat and Brahmanbaria are busy giving the finishing touches to idols of Goddess Durga ahead of Durga puja.

The biggest festival of Bangalee Hindus will be held in 606 temples in Bagerhat, Deputy Commissioner Tapan Kumar Biswas said.

Durga Puja will start on September 19 with the Mahalaya ceremony. It will begin formally on September 25. The five-day long Sharodiya Utsab will end on September 30 through Bijoya Dashami.

Hundreds of idols are being made in several temples in the district. Among them, Hakimpur Shikderbari temple, Chulkathi Bonikpara temple, Fakirhat temple and Karapara Sarbajanin temple are important, our Bagerhat correspondent reports.

“We hope that people of all religions will enjoy the festival,” said Hindu-Bouddha-Christian Oikya Parishad secretary, also acting president of District Puja Udjapan Parishad of Bagerhat, advocate Milon Kumar Banerjee.

Superintendent of Police Pankaj Chandra Roy said names and mobile numbers of police officers will be displayed in every temple, so that if there is a problem, the police can take immediate action, he added.

Durga Puja will be held in 524 temples in Brahmanbaria, our Brahmanbaria correspondent reports.

Sculptors in the district are busy giving the final touches to the idols. They earn Tk 25,000 to Tk 2 lakh from each temple.

Sculptors in Brahmanbaria are busy giving last minute touches to statues of Goddess Durga in preparation for upcoming Durga Puja . PHOTO: STAR

Nikhil Chandra Paul said he has been running this business after the death of his father, Dhirendra Chandra Paul. He earns a good amount ahead of Durga puja and has completed 50 percent of his work, adding that he expects to finish the rest in time for the puja.

Brahmanbaria Puja Udjapan Parishad President Sumesh Ranjan Roy said 137 puja mandaps have been set up in Nasirnagar upazila, 100 in Nabinagar, 70 in Sadar, 58 in Bijoynagar, 47 in Sarail, 42 in Kasba, 38 in Bancharampur, 17 in Akhaura and 15 in Ashuganj upazilas.  

“Members of the Puja Udjapan Parishad will monitor all the mandaps to ensure that the festival is celebrated peacefully,” said Bimal Chakraborty, general secretary of the District Puja Udjapan Parishad.

Assistant Superintendent of Police Md Iqbal Hossain said special security measures, uninterrupted electricity supply and traffic management will be ensured during the puja. A team of policemen along with Ansars will be deployed in each temple.