Bangladesh Police on high alert ahead of Durga Puja over concerns on unrest

Police would be placed on the highest alert at every puja mandap in Bangladesh's capital to ensure that the Hindu community celebrate Durga Puja peacefully, a top police official said on Wednesday, amid concerns of possible unrest during the festival.

Durga puja will be celebrated in Bangladesh from October 9 to 13.

"We have already started taking measures to ensure the security of the puja mandaps," Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md Mainul Hassan was quoted as saying by the state-run BSS news agency.

Hassan said that police both in uniform and plain clothes will be on the highest alert to ensure unprecedented security arrangements during the Durga Puja. "Besides, SWAT, crisis response team, quick response team, crime scene van and bomb disposal unit will be kept ready to make the security measures foolproof,” he said.

He made the remarks while presiding over a meeting on security, law and order and traffic management centring the Sharodia Durga Puja at its headquarters here. Senior police officers and leaders of the Hindu community were present at the meeting.

Hassan said they have chalked out the security plan in three phases -- pre-puja, during puja and the immersion of the goddess Durga -- to ensure foolproof security to celebrate the puja peacefully, the agency said.

The official called upon the leaders of the Puja Udjapn Parishad to ensure sure effective operation of the closed circuit camera televisions (CCTVs) round the clock during the festival, alongside appointing own volunteers at the puja mandaps to help police in ensure peaceful celebration of the festival.

"We hope the Durga Puja will be celebrated in a festive and peaceful manner with collective efforts of all,” he said.

Earlier this month, the interim government's Religious Affairs Adviser AFM Khalid Hossain warned tough action against those disrupting communal harmony or targeting places of worship during the Hindu festival.

He urged the Hindu community to celebrate their festivals with enthusiasm and religious fervour and assured them that no one would be allowed to harm their temples.

The minority Hindu population faced vandalism of their businesses, properties and destruction of temples during the student-led violence that erupted following the ouster of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. After unprecedented anti-government protests that peaked on August 5, Hasina resigned as prime minister and fled to India.

In August, thousands of Hindus staged protests in Dhaka and the northeastern port city of Chattogram, demanding protection.

Hindus constitute about 8 per cent of the 170 million Bangladesh population.

Tune In