The New Nation - Internet Edition

Staff Reporter

Durga Puja, the greatest religious festival for Bangalee Hindus, began amidst festivity and with due religious fervour yesterday.

The five-day celebrations are formally launched with 'Devi Bodhon', when the goddess Durga is invited to visit earth.

Spectacular pandals have been erected in a line from Shakaribazar to Tatibazar and Laxmibazar giving a colourful look in in the capital's old dictrict.

This year, Durga Puja is being held in over 22,000 mandaps, about 1,000 more than the last year's number, across the country. In the city a total of 165 puja are being held giving a colourful look in the respective areas.

Mohanagar Sarbojanin Puja Committee is centrally organizing the annual festivity at Dhakeshwari Mandir of the capital. Other important venues are Dhakeshwari Mandir, Ramna Kali Mandir, Shahkari Bazar, Siddheswari Kali Mandir, Jagannath Hall of Dhaka University, Kalabagan playground, Tanti Bazar, Bangla Bazar, Mohakhali, Farm Gate and Gulshan.

Meanwhile, the leaders of the Hindu community, in the beginning of the festival, renewed their vow to establish a peaceful, harmonious and secular Bangladesh by restoration of the 1972 constitution annulling the Fifth and Eighth amendment to it.

On behalf of the community Liberation War Sector Commander Maj Gen (retd) CR Dutta demanded banning of Islam as state religion and to uphold the spirit of the liberation struggle.

At a press conference of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad at the

Dhakeswari Temple in the city yesterday he said, "We didn't fight for liberation in 1971 for making Islam state religion. The spirit of War of Liberation was to establish a nation free from communalism."

The Puja Udjapon Parishad placed a 32-point charter of demands including declaration of a four-day general vacation for Durga Puja celebration, recognition of the Dhakeswari Temple as the national temple, tariff-free supplies of water and electricity to all temples and Mandaps across the country, distribution of rich diet to orphanages, jails and hospitals on the day of Bhijaya Dashami, the final day of the celebration.

The Parishad submitted a five-point memorandum to the government on yesterday.

The leaders of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad urged the government to take initiative for celebrating the Puja with more active patronization of the government.

Besides, the Hindu Community leaders called for uninterrupted power supply during the festival and adequate safety measures including deployment of security personnel on the day of immersion of the idols on October 9 to avert any untoward incident. In the evening the Puja Mandaps will be kept illuminated in the evenings during the celebration.

President of the Parisad, Professor Nim Chandra Bhowmik, said this year the number had risen to about 22,000.

President of Dhaka City Sarbajanin Puja Committee Kazal Debnath said: "We had meetings with the home adviser as well as senior police and RAB officials. They assured us of security measures, we have no doubt about the safety of Puja celebrations."

Bhowmik mentioned, however, that pandals had been attacked in some districts including Bagerhat, Satkhira, Gopalganj, Narsingdi and Chittagong.

"The government is yet to take all necessary steps so that Puja celebrations can take place peacefully throughout the country," he said.

Meanwhile, for peaceful celebration of the Puja, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) has deployed special teams in different parts of the city and adequate number of police force has also been deployed in all Puja Mandaps. A central police control room has been opened at the Dhakeshwari Temple.

Different socio-cultural organizations of the Hindu community as well as Mandir managements will organize blood donation programme. Adviser for Home Major Gen. (retd) MA Matin will distribute clothes among poor at Dhakaswari Temple today.

Inaugurating festival at Banani Law Adviser of the Caretaker Government assured the Hindu community of all kinds of co-operation from the Government.

In response to the longstanding demand of the Hindu community he said, "Hindu Foundation will be established in place of the Hindu Kallyan Trust."

Special Aid to the Chief Adviser Manik Lal Samaddar and leaders of Hindu community were present.

The festival will come to an end on Oct 9 through the sacrifice of the Durga idols on Dashamee day.