By Mir Afroz Zaman 

Preparations for the autumn Durga Puja are in full swing across Bangladesh, with local potter hubs, temple yards, and decorative pavilions bustling ahead of the country’s largest Hindu festival. 

According to the Bangladesh National Puja Celebration Council, celebrations will span 33,851 mandaps nationwide—reflecting an increase of roughly 1,500 locations compared to last year—supported by a five-day extended public holiday.

From the central Dhakeshwari National Temple in Dhaka to regional hubs in Chittagong and Comilla, local committees are finalizing idol painting, lighting designs, and cultural rehearsals.

Amid the festive groundwork, organizing bodies and community leaders remain attentive to ground-level safety and administrative support:

 The Home Ministry and Ministry of Religious Affairs have deployed multi-tiered monitoring systems across divisional, district, and upazila levels. Measures include digital reporting platforms, dedicated response teams, and directives targeting online disinformation and false rumors.

Law enforcement agencies report no mandaps currently classified as high-risk, emphasizing proactive monitoring to maintain peaceful proceedings

Civic groups and community organizations, including the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council and Sampriti Yatra, continue to emphasize the need for sustained vigilance, citing regional observations and highlighting the importance of swift administrative action in the event of local disputes.

As community members prepare to visit mandaps with their families and participate in evening cultural programs, the focus remains on ensuring smooth coordination between local organizers, law enforcement, and civil society to preserve the spirit of the festival.