News Flash
COX'S BAZAR, Oct 2, 2025 (BSS) – The idol immersion festival concluded successfully at Cox's Bazar beach, drawing an estimated three lakh people although the coastal area faced adverse weather conditions and a maritime warning signal.
The largest idol immersion festival in the country today saw devotees performing the final rites amidst heavy rain and a turbulent Bay of Bengal.
The immersion process began around 5:30pm and lasted until 6:30pm.
The large number of visitors flocking to the beach included both tourists and local residents.
According to Uday Shankar Pal, the acting president of the district Puja Celebration Council, the event witnessed the presence of 300,000 people.
Of this crowd, 100,000 were estimated to be of the Hindu faith, while the remaining 200,000 were tourists and local residents.
Adverse weather, including rain and unusually high waves, failed to deter the spectators' enthusiasm. The cloudy sky and intermittent rain dominated the Cox's Bazar seafront throughout the day.
Tourists expressed their excitement by bathing in the rain, rolling on the sand, and splashing in knee-deep water, celebrating the festival. The crowds stretched across four kilometers of the beach, from Seagull-Laboni to Kalatoli.
The Cox's Bazar coast was directed to display warning signal number 3 due to the formation of a clear low-pressure system and circulating clouds in the Bay of Bengal, causing the coast to become volatile.
Assistant Meteorologist Abdul Hannan noted that heavy rains accompanied by squally winds were expected to continue.
College student Sidratul Muntaha, who traveled from Dhaka, admitted entering the water even though she saw the red flag flying and heard warning whistles from the beach workers.
When asked why she violated the prohibition, she stated she knew about the 3rd warning signal but felt safe entering the shallow water for a saltwater bath.
This year, Durga Puja was celebrated across 317 mandaps in the district's nine upazilas and three municipalities. The immersion events at Laboni Point began in the afternoon.
Idols from areas like Ukhia, Ramu, PMkhali, Chowfal Dandi, and Khurushkul were transported to the city by truck starting around 2pm.
A colorful procession featuring idols from 11 municipal mandaps then proceeded to Laboni Point. An assembly started at the victory stage at 3pm, followed by the formal immersion ceremony at 4pm.
The idols were finally immersed into the Bay of Bengal at 5pm following the chanting of mantras.
Deputy Commissioner Md. Abdul Mannan, Tourist Police Chief and Additional DIG Apel Mahmud, and District Police Superintendent Saifuddin Shaheen were among the officials who addressed the gathering at the immersion event.
