Bangladesh
Durga Puja No shops, fairs outside Durga puja marquees
Dhaka, October 4: Shops and fairs cannot be set up around the puja mandap/marquees during the upcoming Durga Puja. Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal told reporters after a law and order meeting at the Secretariat on Sunday (October 3).
He said worship will be held in 31,137 mandapas across the country from October 11 to 15. You must wear a mask when entering the temple. There will be hand sanitizers and, in some cases, hand washing at the entrance to the temple. There will be thermal scanners, no one will be allowed to enter the shrine if their body temperature is high. Worship should be done in the puja mandapa according to the hygiene rules.
The minister said no shops and fairs would be allowed to sit around the puja mandapa. Housing and gambling will not be allowed in the puja mandapa. No bets, no crackers, no drugs. In the temporary puja mandapas, idols have to be offered on certain days.
He said worship was held in 132 mandapas in Dhaka last year. Idols must be abandoned in accordance with the rules of hygiene while maintaining social distance.
Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said the required number of law enforcers and members of intelligence agencies would be deployed in the puja mandapa. The big puja mandapa will be monitored with CCTV cameras along with special patrols by RAB and police.
‘The BGB will be on high alert at the puja mandapa in the border area and the coastguard in the coastal area. Strict action will be taken against any miscreant who creates chaos in the puja mandapa area or spreads propaganda through Facebook or social media. Strict measures will be taken to prevent eve-teasing in the puja mandapa. In case of any untoward incident, the authorities of the puja mandapa will inform the local law enforcement agencies.
The Home Minister further said that the puja mandals have been asked to keep the musical instruments off for the time being so that the puja mandals near the mosques worship them in a restrained manner during Azan and prayers. They should take a break during Azan and prayers. In many places, besides mosques and temples, they have been asked to be vigilant.
