DHAKA: The Durga Puja, biggest religious festival of the Bangalee Hindu community, has begun with the incarnation of the Goddess Durga at temples across the country on Tuesday.

The five-day long festival started with ‘Bodhon’, ‘Amontron’ and ‘Adhibas’ of the Goddess Durga marking the Mahashashthi (Great Sixth Day). 

The festival will come to an end with the emersion of the idols of the Goddess Durga in the nearby rivers and water bodies on October 4 (Saturday).

Nirmal Chaterjee, joint secretary of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad central committee told banglanews that a total of around 28,458 pandals have been erected across the country including 218 in the city this year to celebrate the Durga Puja.

Throughout the day, recitation of the verses from the Holy Chandi and blowing of conch shells (Shankha) and beating of dhak- dhols (drums) will be heard in temples and pandals to mark the Mahashashthi.

A large numbers of devotees irrespective of ages were seen thronging, draped in new dresses, in city pandals, particularly at Dhakeshwari National Temple, and offer prayers before the Goddess Durga idol seeking divine blessings for peace, prosperity and welfare of the country and the people.

The Mahasaptami puja will be held on October 1, Mahashtami and Kumari Puja on October 2, Mahanabami puja on October 3 and the Bijaya Dashami and immersion of the Goddess will be on October 4.

In separate messages, President Md Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and leader of the opposition Begum Raushan Ershad conveyed greetings to the Hindu community of the country.

The president in his message said that religious functions play a vital role in creating empathy between religious groups and uniting people.

He also said “Bangladesh is a unique example of communal harmony in the world”.

“We all hope that the Sharadiya Durgotsab would further consolidate the bonds of friendship and fraternity among the religious communities,” the president added.

The prime minister in her message said that the Sharadiya Durgotsab is not only a festival of Hindus but of all communities, irrespective of religion.

“The main theme of Durga Puja is the victory of good over evil and prayer for truth and beauty,” she said.

Mentioning that the constitution of the country ensured equal rights of the people of all faiths, irrespective of color, creed or gender Hasina also said that Bangladesh is a safe abode for people of all religious persuasions.

Sheikh Hasina hoped that the thousand-year old bond of communal harmony of Bangalees would be retained with the united effort of all to create a “Sonar Bangla”.

Security has been beefed up in the Puja pandals throughout the country including in the capital city with the deployment of additional squads of Ansars, police, RAB and other law enforcers for peaceful celebration of the festival.

Apart from offering of prayers before the Goddess, Dhakeshwari National Temple at Lalbag has chalked out various programmes including rendering of devotional songs, distribution of clothes among the poor, distribution of Mahaprasad, Arati completion, voluntary blood donation and a Bijaya Dashami procession in the city from the temple premises.

On the eve of the festival, leaders of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, Mohanagar Sarbojonin Puja Committee and Bangladesh Hindu-Bouddha-Christian Oikya Parishad conveyed Puja greetings to the members of all communities of the country.

BDST: 1002 HRS, SEP 30, 2014