Preparations underway for Durga Puja at 585 mandaps across Gaibandha district. Photo : BSS

GAIBANDHA, Sept 23, 2025 (BSS) - Preparations for celebrating Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, are progressing rapidly across the district as the annual event draws nearer.

The annual five-day Sharadiya Durgotsab will begin with the unveiling of the face of the deity on the day of Maha Shasthi on September 28.

The festival will end with the immersion of the idols of the Goddess Durga on Bijoya Dashami on October 2.

This year, a total of 585 puja mandaps will be erected in all seven upazilas of the district, General Secretary of the District Puja Celebration Parishad Bimol Kumar Sarker said while talking to the BSS correspondent here this morning.

Of the total, 101 mandaps will be set up in Sadar upazila, 131 in Sundarganj, 126 in Gobindaganj, 108 in Sadullapur, 61 in Palashbari, 66 in Shaghata, and 14 in Fulchhari upazila, he added.

During visits to different puja mandaps in the district town, artisans (Malakars) were seen busy with painting and decorative works to make the idols attractive for devotees and visitors.

An initiative has also been taken to ensure uninterrupted power supply to the mandaps at night to facilitate puja prayers, archana, kirtons, arati and other religious rituals, an official said.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Nishat Angella said that foolproof security measures have been taken by law enforcement agencies in and around all puja mandaps to ensure a peaceful celebration of the festival.

Police, Ansar, VDP members, and village police will be deployed at each mandap, while elite force RAB will conduct regular patrols, the SP added.

Stern legal actions will be taken against anyone involved in creating anarchy or disturbances during the puja, she warned.

Earlier, a preparatory meeting was held at the conference room of the Deputy Commissioner (DC) on September 22 with DC Choudhury Muazzam Ahmed in the chair to ensure smooth celebration of the festival.

A decision was also taken to open control rooms in each upazila during the festival to monitor the law and order situation, DC office sources said.