look news india
This year’s celebration of Sharadi Durga Puja in Bangladesh took place amid extraordinary peace, widespread security and immense religious enthusiasm. People from the country’s minority Hindu community say that this event has proved to be ‘the best Durga Puja in the last several years’. After the recent political turmoil and tense history of the neighboring country, organizing a safe and uninterrupted puja on such a large scale has become an example in itself.
Local citizens, puja committees and minority organizations have openly praised the stringent security measures and inclusive approach taken by Bangladesh Prime Minister Tariq Rahman and his government. The Hindu community believes that this time the government has not only given assurance but has also ensured an environment at the grassroots level for every citizen to express their faith without any fear.
During Durga Puja this year, unprecedented security was deployed in all eight divisions of Bangladesh—Dhaka, Chittagong, Sylhet, Khulna, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Barisal and Mymensingh. Joint teams of police, Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and Border Security Forces (BGB) were deployed to secure over 30,000 puja pandals across the country.
From Dhaka’s famous Dhakeshwari National Temple to remote rural puja pandals in Rangpur and Khulna, everywhere was monitored with CCTV cameras and 24-hour control rooms. The government had put Quick Response Teams on alert to deal with violence and anti-social elements, which increased the sense of trust and security within the minority community.
Tariq Rehman launched countrywide diplomatic and social initiatives on the occasion of Durga Puja. He said in clear words that “Religion is a matter of personal choice, but every citizen of the state has the right to security.”
The Prime Minister himself visited the major cities of the country, Rangpur, Rajshahi and Chittagong and met directly with local Hindu religious leaders and devotees. He visited puja pandals and extended good wishes on the occasions of Maha Navami and Vijayadashami. Political analysts believe that the Head of State himself reaching the pandals proved decisive in removing fear from the minds of Bangladeshi Hindus.
Representatives of the Bangladeshi Hindu community, while praising the government, have mainly given the following reasons:
-
Celebration without any hindrance: During the entire festival, there were no serious incidents of vandalism or damage to the statues, due to which the devotees continued worshiping fearlessly till late night.
-
Administrative promptness: On receiving complaints of any suspicious activity, the local police took immediate action, thereby denying the anti-social elements the opportunity to act arbitrarily.
-
Community Based Security Committees: At the local level, people of Muslim and Hindu communities together guarded the pandals at many places throughout the night, which set a new example of social harmony.
-
Strict monitoring on social media: Cyber Crime Cell took prompt action against anti-social elements spreading communal tension through fake news, hate speeches and rumours.
Although this year’s Durga Puja has been completed with unprecedented success and peace, international analysts and local minority leaders believe that the real challenge will be to maintain similar security and equality for the remaining 365 days of the year.
This development is also being viewed in a very positive light in the diplomatic circles of Dhaka and Kolkata. Bangladeshi Hindus have expressed hope that this step of the Tariq government will not be limited to just one festival but will lay the foundation of permanent religious freedom and pluralistic democracy in the country.