Sharadiya Durga Puja, the most prominent religious festival of the Bengali Hindu community, begins on Friday on Maha Shashti with the observance of Kalparambha and Bihita puja rituals.

Formal proceedings began in the morning at the Dhakeshwari National Temple, initiating the grand celebration that is scheduled to run through October 21, as confirmed to a local media by Suvasish Kumar Biswas Sadhan, General Secretary of the Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee.

Devotees performed Bodhan on Maha Shashthi to ceremonially awaken and invoke Goddess Durga, signaling the official start of the festivities.

The primary rituals will resume tomorrow on Maha Saptami, with the Saptami tithi spanning two days across Saturday and Sunday according to this year’s Bangla calendar.

Maha Saptami will feature the Nabapatrika ritual, during which nine plants symbolizing various manifestations of the goddess are ceremonially bathed and revered.

Celebrations will continue on Monday with Maha Ashtami, featuring the Sandhi Puja that marks the sacred juncture between Ashtami and Navami.

On the following day, Maha Navami will showcase the final major worship rites alongside the offering of 'bhog'.

The five-day festival will culminate with devotees bidding farewell to Goddess Durga by carrying the idols in grand processions to designated rivers, ponds, and water bodies for Bisarjan, or immersion.

In the final days leading up to the grand occasion, artisans and idol makers worked tirelessly to apply finishing touches, as temples and temporary puja mandaps nationwide prepared to host the celebration.

In response to long-standing calls from the Hindu community, the government issued an executive order extending the Durga Puja holiday to three days.

When combined with the standard Friday and Saturday weekend, citizens will enjoy a five-day continuous break from October 20 to 24.

Welcoming the move, Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad President Basudeb Dhar said, "It's truly a positive decision. We thank the prime minister for such decision."

Across the nation, puja committees and mandaps are finalizing preparations, which encompass decorating pandals, erecting idols, setting up illumination, and arranging religious and cultural functions.

Concurrently, public authorities and local communities are collaborating to maintain security and ensure smooth movement for worshippers and visitors.

Carrying profound spiritual and cultural meaning for the Hindu community in Bangladesh, Durga Puja commemorates Goddess Durga's triumph over the demon king Mahishasura, symbolizing the victory of good over evil.

Hindu mythology recounts that Mahishasura, rendered invincible against men by a divine boon, posed a severe threat to the celestial realm.

In response, the gods unified their cosmic energies to create Goddess Durga, who engaged Mahishasura in battle and ultimately vanquished him.

The festive period was heralded earlier on October 10 with Mahalaya, an auspicious day marked by traditional rituals across the country.

As the main festival unfolds, mandaps in Dhaka and other districts are adorned with elaborate decorations, vibrant lighting, and artistic motifs, drawing large gatherings of devotees to offer prayers, receive prasad, and enjoy cultural programs.

Beyond its religious importance, Durga Puja represents an essential element of Bangladesh's heritage, bringing together people of diverse faiths in a spirit of communal harmony and peaceful coexistence.

To support the festivities, the government announced comprehensive security protocols, enhanced financial assistance, and extended leave.

Directives from Prime Minister Tarique Rahman led to an increase in state funding for Durga Puja mandaps, raising the allocation from BDT 4 crore to BDT 5 crore.

The scale of the festival has expanded significantly this year, with the total count of puja mandaps rising by nearly 1,500 to reach 33,851.

To strengthen surveillance during the celebrations, authorities are deploying a specialized mobile application originally developed by the National Telecommunication Monitoring Center (NTMC).

The app enables the swift reporting of any untoward incidents, allowing security personnel to react promptly and uphold a peaceful atmosphere.

Additionally, the Home Ministry directed relevant bodies to maintain an uninterrupted power supply at all venues, advising organizers to keep generators operational around the clock alongside rechargeable emergency lights as a backup measure.