The Sanaton community today began the five-day celebration of their greatest religious festival, Durga puja in Rangpur. Photo: BSS

RANGPUR, Sept 28, 2025 (BSS) - The Sanaton community today began the five-day 
celebration of their greatest religious festival, Durga puja, through 
'Bodhan' amidst festive atmosphere and joy at 912 puja mandaps in the 
district.
 
To ensure peaceful celebration of Durga puja, local administrations, police, 
RAB-13 and other law enforcement agencies and local Bangladesh Puja Udjapan 
Parishad (BPUP) units have taken adequate steps across the district. 
 
Local leaders of BPUP said the five-day celebrations will end on October 2 
next with the 'Bijoya Dashami' parade and immersion of the idols of goddess 
Durga in water bodies. 
 
The Rangpur Metropolitan Police (RpMP) and district police administrations 
have taken special measures and engaged adequate numbers of police forces 
alongside deployment of RAB-13 and Ansar-VDP members to ensure peaceful 
celebrations of Durga puja.
 
Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Rabiul Faisal, Superintendent of Police (SP) Md 
Abu Saim, UNOs, leaders of the Sanaton community and BPUPs are visiting Puja 
mandaps and extending cooperation to the Sanaton community people. 
 
"We have taken sufficient steps and security measures to ensure peaceful 
celebrations of the five-day Durga puja," the Deputy Commissioner said.
 
The SP said that extensive security measures have been taken to celebrate the 
biggest religious festival of the Sanaton community, the autumn Durga Puja, 
in a peaceful environment. 
 
All puja mandaps have been bought under CCTV surveillance and mobile patrols 
along with deployment of female police and Ansar members. 
 
"In addition, check posts have been set up at important intersections to 
avoid any unpleasant situation to ensure peaceful celebration of the 
festivity," the SP added.
 
RpMP Commissioner Md Majid Ali told local reporters that the Sanaton 
community started celebrations of Durga puja today amid huge enthusiasm at 
mandaps in all six police stations of the metropolis. 
 
He said, "We have taken adequate measures and ensured the use of closed 
circuit cameras in every puja mandap and the police force and puja 
celebration committees are vigilant to ensure peaceful celebration of the 
festival." 
 
The district administration officials said celebrations of Durga puja began 
today at 912 Durga puja mandaps, including 154 mandaps in the metropolis and 
758 puja mandaps in all eight upazilas of the district.
 
Dr Nikhilendra Shankar Guha Roy, convener of the district and metropolitan 
units of BPUP, said that this time Durga puja is being celebrated in a total 
of 912 mandaps in Rangpur district. 
 
Along with the puja at the mandaps, devotional music performances, 
distribution of clothes and Mahaprasad, aarti competitions and Bijaya 
Shobhajatra will be organized. So far, all the preparations have been 
completed. 
 
"The district and police administrations are supporting us. We believe that 
the festival will be held without any problems in the end. We also seek the 
full support of the people of Rangpur in this regard," he said.
 
While talking to BSS at various puja mandap today, Sanatan devotees Rameshwar 
Barman, Shobha Rani Mohanto, Aarti Dhar and Anukul Chandra Roy expressed 
satisfaction with the security arrangements taken for peaceful celebration of 
Durga Puja.
 
"We are peacefully performing prayers, puja, worship, kirtan and other 
religious rituals with great enthusiasm and joy," said devotee, Putul Rani.