The newly formed interim government in Bangladesh has issued a directive to the Hindu community, urging them to cease all Durga Puja-related music and loud activities during the azaan and namaz. This announcement comes as part of preparations for the upcoming Durga Puja, the largest Hindu festival in the country.
Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, the home affairs adviser, confirmed that puja committees have been requested to switch off musical instruments and sound systems during these times. “Such activities need to cease during offering namaz, and the pause will have to be followed from five minutes prior to azaan,” Chowdhury was quoted as saying by “The Times of India”.
This directive was made public following a meeting on the country’s law and order situation ahead of the festival. Chowdhury also provided details about the scale of this year’s festivities, revealing that 32,666 puja mandaps will be set up across Bangladesh. Among these, 157 will be located in Dhaka South City and 88 in Dhaka North City Corporations, as reported by the Dhaka Tribune. Last year, the total number of puja mandaps was 33,431, indicating a slight increase this year.
Assuring the public of security, Chowdhury highlighted that measures are being put in place to ensure the safety and smooth conduct of the festival. “We have discussed how to ensure round-the-clock security at the puja mandaps. Measures will be taken to facilitate the celebration of puja without any hindrance and prevent the evil activities of miscreants,” he said.
In a broader call for unity, Bangladesh’s interim government chief adviser, Muhammad Yunus, addressed the nation, emphasizing the importance of communal harmony. “We are a nation of communal harmony. No one shall do any act that destroys religious harmony,” Yunus stated, as quoted by The Times of India. He also warned against vigilantism, stating, “No one should take the law into their own hands. If someone takes the law into his own hands and creates a chaotic environment in society, we will definitely bring him under punishment.”
The interim government’s measures and Yunus’s call for unity aim to ensure a peaceful and respectful observance of Durga Puja across the nation.
