Durga Puja to be celebrated at 31,398 mandaps
The Hindu community’s largest religious festival Durga Puja will be celebrated at some 31,398 puja mandaps across the country, said community leaders.
The number of Puja mandaps were raised by 483 from previous year, according to the statistics of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad.
Of these, the festival will be celebrated at 7,271 mandaps in Dhaka division, 4,456 mandaps in Chittagong, 2,546 in Sylhet, 4,936 in Khulna, 3,512 in Rajshahi, 5,304 in Rangpur, 1,741 in Barishal and 1,632 in Mymensingh, statistics said.
The parishad yesterday presented the data at a press conference at Dhakeshwari National Temple’s conference room in the capital.
Reading out a written statement, the parishad’s general secretary Nirmal Kumar Chattarjee said the rising number of mandaps clearly reflects the economic progress of the Hindu community as well as the whole nation.
However, leaders of the committee expressed their concern regarding previous cases of vandalism of mandaps in Jhalakhathi, Patuakhali, Satkhira, Sirajganj, Dinajpur, Panchagarh, Gaibandha, Mymensingh, Gazipur, Tangail, Chadpur and Noakhali, he added.
Addressing the press conference, the Parishad’s president Milon Kanti Datta said, “Violence like idol vandalism could be avoided by implementing exemplary punishment, but such actions are not yet implemented.”
Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad leaders grievously condemned the Election Commission for not deferring the by-election of Rangpur-3 constituency, as the announced date for polls falls on the day of Maha Saptami.
Earlier on September 22, hundreds from the Hindu community of Rangpur Sadar upazila observed a daylong token hunger-strike, demanding deferment of the by-election.
The leaders also placed a 12-point demand, which included declaring three days of national holiday for Durga Puja, recovery of vested properties, legislation of conservation law, building model temples in each upazila and so on.
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