As part of the Sharadiya Durga Puja celebrations, volunteers of the Bashundhara Shuvosangho Agailjhara upazila unit have been working tirelessly at every Puja mandap to help maintain peace and order.
Alongside strengthened security measures at each Puja venue, steps have also been taken to ensure the comfort of devotees. Organisers said they expect this year’s festival to be completed peacefully and joyfully through collective efforts.
Agailjhara upazila of Barishal district hosts the highest number of Sharadiya Durga Puja mandaps in the division. Across the five unions of the upazila, there are 159 mandaps.
To promote peace and communal harmony, members of Bashundhara Shuvosangho have been visiting the pavilions, exchanging views and monitoring arrangements.
As part of a week-long series of engagements at the Durga Puja pavilions, advisers and members of the Bashundhara Shuvosangho Agailjhara branch met with devotees and the Puja committee at the central pavilion in the upazila headquarters on Wednesday, 1 October, at 11am.
Speaking on the occasion, Adviser of Agailjhara Shuvosangho unit and journalist SM Omar Ali Sani said Agailjhara hosts the largest number of Durga Puja celebrations in the Barishal division. He warned that miscreants might try to exploit the festival.
“Religion belongs to individuals, but festivals belong to all. For generations, Hindus and Muslims have celebrated together. We have held view-sharing meetings with the presidents and general secretaries of all 159 Puja pavilions in the upazila,” he added.
“Anyone trying to disrupt the Durga Puja festival will not be spared. Any group attempting to destroy the celebrations will be given a strong response. Every member of Shuvosangho will stand by our Hindu brothers,” he said.
Agailjhara Shuvosangho cultural affairs secretary Lecturer Lolita Sarkar said, “The gentle breeze, the blue sky with scattered clouds, white kashful (Lily of the valley) along the paths, the fragrance of dew-drenched shefaliful (Night-flowering jasmine), the sound of Agamani songs and the golden sunshine all herald the arrival of the Sharadiya festival.”
She continued, “Mother Goddess is coming, filling the surroundings with light. Today, in the joy of the season and the awakening of spirits, nature itself has adorned itself beautifully.”
Others who spoke at the programme included President of the central Durga Puja mandap Kartik Bepari, General Secretary AsimSarkar, Agailjhara Press Club President MdMahbubul Islam, Former President Sardar Harun Rana, Agailjhara Reporters Unity President Md Saiful Mridha, Bashundhara Shuvosangho Agailjhara unit Vice President and tax lawyer Samiran Roy, Md Shaha Alom Radhi, cultural cffairs Secretary Lecturer Lolita Sarkar, women affairs Secretary NilimaKor, member Engineer Richard Biswas, Journalist Ahad Talukder, Amir Hamza, Shanta Halder, and Jillian Biswas, among others.
Bd-Pratidin English/ AM
