The Faridpur district police have taken extensive security measures at 781 Puja mandaps across the district ahead of Sharadiya Durga Puja to ensure peaceful, festive and uninterrupted celebrations.
Authorities have ordered the installation of CCTV cameras, adequate lighting and deployment of sufficient volunteers at every Puja mandap.
The directives were issued at a preparatory meeting with Puja celebration committees, senior officials of various government departments and civil society representatives at the Faridpur Deputy Commissioner’s conference room at 10am on Sunday.
Chaired by Faridpur Deputy Commissioner Mazharul Islam, the meeting discussed security at every Puja mandap, the law-and-order situation, traffic management and idol immersion arrangements.
The authorities said Puja mandaps would be categorised based on security risks and security perimeters would be established according to the level of risk.
In response to demands from the Puja celebration council, the district administration said uniformed police, Ansar and VDP members would be deployed at Puja mandaps. Special police and intelligence personnel in plain clothes would also be assigned to security duties.
Each temple management committee has been instructed to install CCTV cameras, ensure adequate lighting and deploy a sufficient number of volunteers for security.
Faridpur Superintendent of Police Shahriar Mohammad Miaji said the district police had made comprehensive preparations to ensure safe and uninterrupted Durga Puja celebrations while maintaining communal harmony and mutual goodwill.
Deputy Commissioner Mazharul Islam said the administration had made all necessary preparations to ensure that Durga Puja was held peacefully and without disruption. He urged everyone to maintain mutual tolerance, harmony and goodwill throughout the festival.
The meeting also instructed organisers to strictly follow the designated schedules and routes for idol immersion. Participants were advised not to use drums or other musical instruments at high volume during Maghrib and Isha prayer times to maintain religious harmony and goodwill.
The district police’s Cyber Crime Monitoring Cell will remain active around the clock to prevent attempts to disrupt communal harmony through rumours, misleading information or provocative posts on social media, the meeting was told.
People were urged to contact the national emergency service at 999 or the Faridpur Police Control Room in case of emergencies.
Leaders of the Puja celebration committees requested that load-shedding be kept to a minimum and that effective traffic management measures be taken, particularly to control congestion in Faridpur city.
Preparations are underway to celebrate Sharadiya Durga Puja at a total of 781 Puja mandaps in Faridpur district this year.
Among those present at the meeting were Faridpur District Council Chief Executive Officer (Joint Secretary) Bakaiad Hossain, Faridpur Municipality Administrator (Deputy Secretary) Iliasur Rahman, Additional Deputy Commissioner (General) Sohrab Hossain, Additional District Magistrate Susmita Saha, Faridpur Press Club President Kabirul Islam Siddiqui, Faridpur District BNP Joint Convener Zulfikar Hossain Jewel, and District Puja Celebration Committee leader Bidhan Kumar Saha, along with other committee leaders.
