RAJSHAHI, Oct 11, 2024 (BSS) - People of the Hindu community here today celebrated Maha Ashtami of the five-day Durga Puja, the largest religious festival of the community, amid great enthusiasm and fanfare.
 
A large number of devotees were seen visiting different puja mandaps to have a look at the decorated Goddess Durga throughout the day.
 
A total of 3,314 puja mandaps have been erected in all eight districts under the Rajshahi division. Of the mandaps, 96 have been set up in Rajshahi city.
 
Shyamal Kumar Ghosh, Rajshahi city unit general secretary of Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad, told the news agency that decorations of temples, illuminating and setting up of mandaps have already given the city a festive look.
Administrative, high police officials and front-ranking leaders of the BNP visited many mandaps today and exchanged pleasantries with the devotees.
 
The celebration will end through the immersion of idols of goddess Durga in various water bodies on Bijoya Dashami on Sunday.
 
Meanwhile, foolproof security measures have been taken in and around the city to avert any untoward incident during the festival.
 
"We have taken tight security measures to make the Rajshahi city's Durga puja celebration festive and successful," said Muhammad Abu Sufiyan, commissioner of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police.
 
Alamgir Rahman, deputy inspector general of police, said three-tier security measures have been adopted everywhere in the division so that people of the Hindu community can smoothly celebrate the Durga Puja.