<div style="text-align: justify; "><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Five-day Durga Puja, biggest religious festival of the Bangalee Hindu community, is being celebrated in the districts across the country with traditional festivity and due religious fervor.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to mythology, on Maha Shashti day, the first day of the 5-day festival, the Goddess Durga descends on the mortal earth from her heavenly adobe with her four children including Ganesha, Kartikeya, Lakshami and Saraswati. The beautiful idols of Maa Durga and other idols were opened for people to look through on Moha Shashti.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The arrival of Goddess Durga was welcomed by the devotees with much fanfare, amidst the beats of dhak (Drum).</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">BSS Netrakona correspondent said Durga Puja is</div><div style="text-align: justify;">being celebrated in 465 mandaps in the district. The government allocated over 232 metric tons of rice and Tk 5.50 lakhs as special support for the puja.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Police have taken fool-proof security measures for ensuring security and peaceful celebration of the festival.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Senior government officials visited different Puja Mondops and exchanged greetings with the devotees and leaders of the Puja Udjapon Parishad.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">On the first day a large number of worshippers and visitors were seen visiting the Puja Mandaps to have a look at the Goddess Durga and seek divine blessings for their welfare and betterment of the mankind.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Members of the police and Ansar and local volunteers were seen guarding the Puja mandaps round the clock. Army, BGB and RAB personnel were also seen patrolling around the Puja mandaps to ensure adequate security.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">BSS Chapainawabganj correspondent said, Durga Puja is being celebrated peacefully with enthusiasm and festivity in 155 mandops in five upazilas of the district.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The puja started Wednesday morning with the installation of the idol of Durga at all the mandaps on the day of Mohashashti. Hindus welcomed the Goddess Durga with the hope that her arrival would remove all evils.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Male and female members of the Hindu community of all age groups were seen visiting from one mandop to another to show their adoration to Ma Durga.</div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;</div><div style="text-align: justify;">According to Hindu Pundits the goddess this year came on a palanquin meaning prevalence of diseases and would depart by elephant, meaning abundance in crops production.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">&nbsp;Puja Udjapon Parishad leaders expressed satisfaction over the steps taken by the government for holding the Puja in a peaceful manner.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Officials of the administration, law enforcement agencies, political leaders visited the mandaps, which were decorated having an eye-catching look.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Volunteers and members of Ansar are constantly on duty in all the mandaps while police forces, Army, BGB and RAB are on patrol duty.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Durga Puja is being celebrated in 59 mandops in Sadar upazila, in 46 mandops in Shibganj upazila, 31 mandops in Gomostapur upazila, 16 mandops in Nachole upazila and three mandops in Bholahat upazila.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">BSS Gaibandha correspondent said, Durga Puja is being celebrated in 557puja mandaps in seven upazilas of the district this year.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Some 95 mandaps have been erected in Sadar Upazila, 115&nbsp; in Sundarganj Upazila, 127 in Gobindaganj Upazila, 95in Sadullapur Upazila, 55in Palashbari Upazila, 57 in Shaghata Upazila, and 13in Fulchhari Upazila.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">The whole district has taken a festive look as the Hindu devotees including men, women, boys, girls, youths and adolescents attired in fine dresses are thronging different puja mandaps to have a look at Goddess Durga and seeking the blessing from her.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Besides, hundreds of Muslims and people of other religious faiths are also visiting the mandaps decorated colorfully and exchanging greetings with their Hindu friends and neighbours.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Initiative has been taken to provide uninterrupted power supply to the puja mandaps at nights to enable the devotees to offer their prayers, puja, archana, kirtons, arati and other religious rituals.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">District administration has distributed 278.5 tonnes of rice for the puja mandaps through district and upazila administration to assist the Hindu community to celebrate the festival peacefully.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify;">Puja Udjapan Parishad sources said Durga Puja would conclude on Bijoya Dashami on October 13 (Sunday) with the immersion of the goddess Durga.</div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br></div><div style="text-align: justify; ">bnbd24/kh</div>