Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, begins on Monday with the incarnation (Bodhon) of goddess Durga at temples across the country, marking Sashthi.
The five-day puja will come to an end with the immersion of idols of goddess Durga in rivers and other water bodies on October 19.
Preparations have already been completed for smoothly celebrating the religious festival.
The Mahasaptami puja will be held on Tuesday (October 16) while Mahashtami, Kumari Puja
and Sandhi Puja on Wednesday (October 17), Mahanabami puja on Thursday (October 18) and Biyoya Dashami will be held on Friday (October 19).
On Sunday, devotees and artisans were seen busy taking the last moment preparations and tastefully decorating the temples and pandals across the country.
Throughout the day on Monday, recitation of the verses from the Holy Chandi and blowing of conch shells (Shankha) and beating of drums will be heard in temples and pandals in the city and elsewhere.
Draped in new dresses, a large number of devotees irrespective of ages will throng the city pandals, particularly at Dhakeshwari National Temple, and offer prayers before goddess Durga seeking divine blessings for peace, prosperity and welfare of the country and its people.
Adequate security measures have been taken for smooth celebrations of the festival.
Additional members of police, Ansar, Rapid Action Battalion and other law enforcement agencies have been deployed in puja mandaps to ensure a full-proof security.
In separate messages, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina greeted the members of the country’s Hindu community marking the festival.
