Dhaka (September 10, 2024 AD)
Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General Md. Jahangir Alam Chowdhury (retd.) said that the Ministry of Home Affairs is taking necessary steps to conduct the upcoming Autumn Durga Puja 2024 in a smooth and peaceful environment. Arrangements are also being made so that Durga Puja can be held in a festive atmosphere. Moreover, the allocation from the Chief Adviser’s Fund has been doubled to Tk 4 crore in favor of poor temples so that the followers of Sanatan religion can celebrate the puja with religious solemnity.
The adviser said this while briefing the journalists after the meeting held on security of places of worship, maintaining law and order and relevant issues on the occasion of the celebration of Autumn Durga Puja 2024 in the conference room of the Ministry of Home Affairs at Bangladesh Secretariat in the capital.
At that time, the religious adviser. A. F. M. Khalid Hossain, Presidium member and former president of Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad Advocate Subrata Chowdhury, President of Bangladesh Puja Celebration Parishad Vasudev Dhar and General Secretary Santosh Sharma, Joint General Secretary of Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Oikya Parishad Monindra Kumar Nath, President of Dhaka Metropolitan Public Puja Committee Jayant Kumar Dev and General Secretary Dr. Tapas Pal and others were present.
The following decisions were taken in the meeting held on the occasion of Sharadiya Durga Puja 2024 celebration regarding security of pujamandaps, maintenance of law and order and related matters:
1. Safety during construction of poojamandap and ensuring round-the-clock security at poojamandap:
a) Monitoring of places of worship through IP cameras by concerned UNO offices and police stations.
(b) Formation of special team at National Emergency Service 999 for round-the-clock monitoring/service provision.
(c) Dedication of idols for autumn Durga Puja at the place designated by the local administration.
(d) Ensuring police and RAB patrols for round the clock security.
(e) Deploying required number of police, plainclothes police, RAB and intelligence agencies during Durga Puja in Pujamandap and surrounding areas.
(f) Deploying Ansar as Static Force in every Puja Mandap during Puja celebrations.
(g) To take precautionary measures/steps by the BGB to ensure overall security of the pujamandaps established in the border areas. Similarly providing security in coastal areas by Bangladesh Coast Guard.
(h) Increasing special patrols and vigilance by RAB and police in large places of worship.
2. Taking strict legal measures to prevent the evil activities of those who cause disturbances and miscreants in Durga Puja:
3. Fire service and civil defense diving team/naval police/coastguard diving team ready to prevent fire and other accidents in Pujamandap and undertake rescue operations, complete the evacuation operation at the place designated by the local administration by 7 pm. And to direct the telephone number/mobile number of local administration, police station, police station and fire service to be hung in a visible place in every pujamandap.
4. Ensuring the safety of children and women visitors coming to the shrine;
5. To keep electricity supply uninterrupted throughout the country including Dhaka, especially in Pujamandap area. As an alternative, arrangement of generator in the pujamandap.
6. To engage the concerned puja celebration committees with the required number of volunteers and guards for the security of the puja mandap.
7. Taking necessary measures in advance to avoid traffic congestion at important points in the pujamandap area of the capital, especially on Old Dhaka, Nawabpur roads, around Durga Puja.
8.Renovation/repair of dustbins, roads, drains, drains, ponds and roads used for idol immersion around Pujamandap.
9. Setting up one control room each at Police Headquarters, Divisional Commissioner’s Office at Divisional Level, Police Commissioner’s Office at Metropolitan Area, District Commissioner’s Office at District Headquarters and Upazila Executive Officer’s Office.
10. At the time of Azaan and Namaz in the worship halls around the mosque, during the puja and during the ablution, to limit the use of sound devices and to request those concerned not to use loud sound devices.
11. Inclusion of student coordinators where advice and support is needed.
12. Monitoring rumors on social media through NTMC under Ministry of Health.
13. District Commissioner and Superintendent of Police and Upazila Nirbahi Officers and Police Officers at Upazila level regularly visit and monitor the pujamandap.
It should be noted that Autumn Durga Puja will be celebrated on 09-13 October 2024 across the country.
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