CHATTOGRAM, Oct 8, 2023 (BSS)- Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) has taken four-tier security measures to ensure peaceful celebration of upcoming Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of the Hindu community, in the metropolis.

"We are determined to celebrate the religious festival amid enthusiasm and communal harmony," said Krishna Pada Roy, commissioner of the CMP.

He disclosed this while addressing in a press briefing at the CMP headquarters conference hall today.

"The five-day Saradiya festival will be celebrated over 270 puja mandaps in the city from October 20-24 and tight security measures will be taken centering all the mandaps," he added.

Krishna Pada Roy stated that no one will be given an opportunity to create chaos by attacking Durga Puja before the national elections.

The CMP authority will deploy adequate members of law enforcing agencies in and around every Puja Mondops, the CMP commissioner said, adding: "The authority will also set up a control room to smoothly handle the situation of Durga Puja."

"Each puja mandap will have also plainclothes policemen as well as policemen from Striking Reserve Force, SWAT, Bomb Disposal Unit on duty. There are also detective police members. There will be overall security measures and intelligence vigilance has already been enhanced across the city," he added.

He sought wholehearted cooperation from all quarters for successful and peaceful celebrations of the forthcoming Durga Puja. The CMP commissioner assured of extending all possible security support to the puja celebration everywhere in the CMP areas.

He called upon the leaders of the puja celebration committee to form a volunteer team at each puja mandap and deploy the team members on security duty at all times and wear prescribed clothes and ID cards for their identification.

Roy urged the Puja Udjapan Committee leaders to set up Closed Circuit Television (CCTV) cameras in the important Puja Mandaps alongside metal detectors in the main entrances where should be separate gates for male and females.

He requested to all Puja Udjapon Committees to temporarily turn off the sound system of the Mandap during the time of Azan and Namaz.

He also asked the Officer-in-Charge (OC) of the police stations to keep close coordination with the Puja Udjapan Committee round the clock giving instructions to the traffic division of the CMP to enhance traffic management.

"We have to put in our level best efforts to ensure communal harmony for all faiths in each of the puja mandaps," he added.

Besides, the CMP Commissioner sought the cooperation of the city residents to avoid illegal parking of cars, fairs and shops on the streets around the Puja Mandap and urged them to contact 999 to get emergency services.
 
CMP Additional Commissioner (Administration and Finance) MA Masud, Additional Police Commissioner (Traffic) Abdul Mannan Mia, Deputy Police Commissioner (Headquarters) Md. Abdul Warish and other senior police officers were present, among others, on the occasion.