Photo: STAR

On the occasion of Janmashtami, the birth anniversary of Lord Sri Krishna, a colourful procession was brought out in the district town on September 1. The procession, joined by hundreds of devotees, attired as deities in the ancient Hindu pantheon, attracted many enthusiastic onlookers.
The procession was brought out from Durgabari Temple and paraded the main roads of the town.
Different institutions, including Durgabari Temple, Pranob Math, Zila Puja Udjapan Parishad, Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Oikya Parishad and representatives of the temples of the town and outside, joined the celebration.
Earlier, a discussion was held at the premises of Durgabari Temple. Motiur Rahman, MP addressed the discussion as chief guest, while Deputy Commissioner of Mymensingh Lokman Hossain Miah; Police Superintendent Khandaker Golam Faruq and Mayor of Mymensingh Municipality Ikramul Haque Titu were special guests at the inaugural session.
Principal of Ramakrishna Ashram Srimat Swami Sarbesharananda and Advocate Bikash Roy, president of Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Oikya Parishad were the discussants.
The well-known local personalities addressed the rally and said that Lord Sri Krishna, who vanquished evil, came into this world on the 8th of Bhadhra. The Hindus observe the day every year with various programmes.
Lord Krishna's teachings, they added, should be disseminated among devotees so that communal harmony can be assured.

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Ahmed Humayun Kabir Topu, Pabna
Janmashtami was observed amidst festivity in Pabna. To celebrate the occasion, the Puja Udjapan Parishad, Pabna district unit committee organised different programmes last Wednesday.
The daylong programme was inaugurated with the lighting of a Mangal Pradip at Joykalibari Temple early on Wednesday. Later a colourful procession paraded the main streets of the district headquarters.
Over thousands of devotees of the Hindu community participated in a Janmashtami rally, inaugurated by the Pabna Sadar Upazila Parishad Chairman Mohammad Mosharaf Hossain and Principal of Pabna Cadet College Rakhal Chandra Dhar.
Other highlights were a discussion, painting competition, quiz competition and cultural programmes. President of Pabna district unit Puja Udjapan Parishad Ganesh Chandra Ghosh chaired the programmes while the secretary of the organisation Binoy Jyoti Kundu; president of Pabna district unit of Hindu-Buddhist-Christian Aikko Parishad Prabir Saha spoke on the occasion.
The speakers asserted that Lord Krishna inspired mankind to live in harmony and love. They emphasised the necessity of maintaining communal harmony across the country.
Communal harmony is one of the main values of the Liberation War and Bangladeshis can set an example for the rest of the world, the speakers expressed the view.
Later artistes performed music. Religious songs (Kirtan) were also performed in Joykalibari, the central temple in the district headquarters. The curtains came down with the giving away of awards to the winners of different cultural competitions.

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Mirza Shakil, Tangail
On Wednesday, the Hindu community of Tangail embarked on a festive three-day programme to celebrate Janmashtami, the birthday of Lord Krishna.
Shri Shri Kalibari and Antorjartik Krishnabhabnamreto Sangha (ISKCON) separately organised the programmes from September 1 to 3 at Shri Shri Kalibari and Sabalia ISKCON Temple respectively.
The programmes included a rally, dawn to dusk chanting, kirtan, cultural function, prasad distribution and discussion.
Food and Disaster Management Minister Dr. Abdur Razzak attended a discussion at Shri Shri Kalibari as the chief guest. The discussion was presided over by Anil Kumar Majumder, president of Shri Shri Kalibari.