The primary religious festival of the Hindu community, Sharadiya Durga Puja, concluded with great grandeur and solemn religious rituals through the immersion of idols amidst a solemn atmosphere.
At the moment of immersion, devotees bade farewell to Mother Durga with tearful eyes, offering prayers for her joyful return next year.
This year, under the special directives of Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and the direct supervision and coordinated planning of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md. Ali Hossain Fakir, Durga Puja was celebrated in a seamless and secure environment across 33,851 puja mandaps nationwide without any untoward incidents.
As devotees across the country said goodbye to Goddess Durga, there was a tinge of sadness on one hand and an eager anticipation for her arrival on Earth again next year on the other.
From the beginning of the festival to the immersion phase, due to the strong presence of law enforcement agencies and a three-tier foolproof security arrangement, the six-day Durga Puja officially concluded in a highly peaceful and festive environment, barring a couple of isolated incidents.
An exceptional aspect of this year’s festival was that, under the direction of the Prime Minister, local leaders of the BNP worked alongside the police to maintain the overall security of the puja mandaps. The Prime Minister himself also visited several districts to inspect the puja mandaps.
According to information provided by Police Headquarters, a comprehensive and coordinated security plan was drawn up this year centering on 33,851 puja mandaps across the country.
Duties were distributed among police officers to keep the locations risk-free after monitoring and analyzing the importance of the puja mandaps, potential turnout of visitors, geographical location, and information received from the local level.
All members of the law enforcement agencies from divisional cities down to districts, upazilas, and even police station levels were kept on high alert round-the-clock.
Special focus and strict surveillance were maintained particularly around the mandaps, gathering spots, major routes, procession pathways, and designated idol immersion sites.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md. Ali Hossain Fakir directly supervised the overall security situation from the outset of the festival.
Speaking at a high-level review meeting held at Police Headquarters on October 11 ahead of Sharadiya Durga Puja, the IGP stated that the police had taken all necessary security measures so that the puja could be celebrated in a very smooth, peaceful, and festive atmosphere.
He informed that the security grid was arranged in three phases—the preparatory period, the core days of the festival, and the post-immersion period following Bijoya Dashami.
Instructing police officers at all levels to remain firm so that no quarter could make any attempt to disrupt religious harmony and social peace, he urged them to maintain constant communication with people from all walks of life through bit policing and community policing.
Midway through the festival, on October 17, while exchanging views with journalists during a visit to the historic Dhakeshwari National Temple in the capital, the IGP expressed great satisfaction.
At that time, he said that owing to the combined efforts and sincerity of people from all walks of life, worship was being conducted in a very joyful and safe environment across more than 33,000 mandaps in the country.
He noted that the overall cooperation of the Puja Udjapan Committee leaders made the duties of law enforcement agencies, including the police, much easier and more effective, expressing hope that this fine environment would prevail until the final moment.
Emphasizing the need for everyone to remain alert against rumors and propaganda spread on social media, the top police official added that evil forces and certain opportunistic groups might attempt to spread misleading and provocative information on digital platforms.
Calling upon the general public not to be misled without verifying the authenticity of any information, the IGP declared, “Regardless of religion, caste, belief, or ethnic identity, this beloved motherland belongs to us all.”
He expressed a firm commitment to build a peaceful, progressive, and non-communal Bangladesh by remaining united against evil forces.
Later, on October 19, during a visit to the historic Ramakrishna Mission puja mandap in Narayanganj, the IGP highlighted the strengthened security picture.
There, he mentioned that the spontaneous participation of the public, coordination by local administration, and day-and-night relentless hard work by the police and other forces made it possible to ensure an overall festive environment.
Reminding all of the police’s strict stance on crime prevention, he stated in clear terms that the police would show zero tolerance against drugs, terrorism, and extortion of any kind, and all operations would be conducted under a zero-tolerance policy.
Centering the idol immersion—one of the most vital phases of Bijoya Dashami—extra security and necessary rescue preparations were taken at every immersion site across the country, including the capital.
In Dhaka, a massive Bijoya procession set off from Dhakeshwari National Temple towards the banks of the Buriganga at Sadarghat, attracting huge crowds of people along the streets to watch and participate.
Keeping in mind the heavy gathering, traffic congestion, and potential water accidents at the immersion sites, diver teams, naval police, and coastal rescue units were kept fully prepared.
A special plan to monitor the overall situation through intelligence surveillance at key entry points and sensitive locations was also successfully executed.
Considering the security of riverine and coastal regions, the Bangladesh Coast Guard was deployed there. Around 3,500 armed Coast Guard personnel performed duties at least at 615 mandaps and corresponding immersion ghats in riverine and coastal zones.
In addition, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) worked to ensure security at nearly 1,800 puja mandaps situated within eight kilometers of the international border. In the capital, an additional 2,072 personnel were deployed alongside regular members of the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).
All puja mandaps were monitored round-the-clock from Police Headquarters using around 22,000 body-worn cameras. Alongside this, members of the Special Response Battalion (SRB) and Ansar-VDP maintained a vigilant stance in their respective duties to handle any situation swiftly.
To prevent the spread of rumors on digital media and social networks, a special intelligence cyber team maintained round-the-clock surveillance.
To ensure that unverified information does not spread panic or confusion in society, the police advised citizens to immediately inform the nearest law enforcement agency about any suspicious activity or provocative messages.
Thanks to responsible news coverage and civic awareness, online propaganda was easily neutralized.
Sharadiya Durga Puja does not remain confined to religious rituals alone; rather, it manifests as a non-communal bond and a national festival.
The arrival of people from diverse religions, castes, and professions at the mandaps, their exchange of greetings, and participation in various voluntary tasks presented a bright example of non-communal spirit that further strengthened national harmony.
Evaluating the overall law and order situation at the successful and peaceful conclusion of the festival and expressing gratitude to the nation, IGP Md.
Ali Hossain Fakir told reporters after visiting Dhakeshwari National Temple and other key mandaps: “Due to combined efforts, farsighted guidelines from the government, and responsible behavior by the public, Sharadiya Durgotsav has been completed across more than 33,000 puja mandaps in an extremely peaceful, orderly, and festive environment.
The spontaneous participation of general people regardless of religion or caste at mandaps in every region of the country is an extraordinary example of our communal harmony.
I express my deep gratitude and thanks to leaders of all political parties, local representatives, Puja Udjapan Committees, and above all, citizens from all walks of life, whose active cooperation and sincere attitude made our duties smooth and successful.
The police force remains committed to ensuring that every citizen of this country, regardless of religious identity, can practice their religion freely, comfortably, and with full security.”
He further added that through the successful execution by the police and other forces, overall cooperation from puja committees, and awareness among general citizens, this nationwide Sharadiya Durgotsav concluded as a historic success and a symbol of profound peace.