Photo : BSS

KHULNA, Oct 3, 2025 (BSS) - Durga Puja, five-day religious festival of the Hindu community, ended in the city and nine upazilas of the district through immersion of the idols with due religious fervor and solemnity last night.

The Hindu community celebrated the Durga Puja this year amid huge enthusiasm and festivities through performing religious rituals at a record number of puja mandaps in the city and district with the participation of thousands of devotees.

The idols were taken to Bhairab, Rupsha, Kazibacha, and Kopotakha rivers, ponds, canals and other water bodies for immersion with colourful procession, dancing and singing 'kirton' in the afternoon.

Earlier, hundreds of female devotees thronged puja mandaps on the Bijoya Dashami to cast the last look of Goddess Durga and seek her blessings for the nation and mankind by putting 'sindur' (vermilion) and offering sweets to their mothers.
 
A record number of 981 mandaps were set up in the city and district. The government distributed around 465.5 tonnes of rice among the mandap authorities to assist the Hindu community people for celebrating the festival.

Besides, the Khulna City Corporation (KCC) authorities distributed Tk 6.85 lakh among 76 mandaps in the city.

Law-enforcers, who were on duty round the clock over the last five days, were seen guarding Shuvo Bijoya Dashami procession for immersion of Durga and other idols since the Thursday evening.

General Secretary of city unit Puja Udjapon Parishad Proshanto Kumar Kundu thanked the local authorities for ensuring complete security and uninterrupted power supply during the five-day celebration of the Durga Puja.

He expressed gratitude to the government for assisting them in celebrating the Durga Puja with due religious fervor, enthusiasm and festivity.

The religious festival began on September 28 through Bodhan (enlightenment), and the Hindu community completed the celebration last night through immersion of the idols of all mandaps which were tastefully decorated and colourfully illuminated everywhere in the city and district.