Durga Puja held under heightened security in Bangladesh — The Hindu

Bangladesh is celebrating Durga Puja amid heightened security measures. Prime Minister Tariq Rahman and President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir congratulated Hindus in the country and abroad, emphasizing interfaith harmony and equal rights for people of all faiths, The Hindu reports.

Addresses by the country’s leadership

On October 16, Rahman called on members of the Hindu community to celebrate the holiday joyfully, confidently and without fear. President Alamgir, according to the state news agency BSS, reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring freedom of religion and equal rights for followers of all religions.

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Number of puja mandaps

This year, 33,851 puja mandaps were set up across the country. Of these, 258 are located in Bangladesh’s capital, Dhaka, the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad said.

According to BSS, the number of puja mandaps in the country increased by nearly 1,500 compared with last year.