Bangladesh Unveils Security Plan for Durga Puja Celebrations, 33,851 Mandaps to Get Enhanced Monitoring

Bangladesh has announced an enhanced security and monitoring plan for the upcoming Sharadiya Durga Puja, with authorities preparing special arrangements across thousands of puja mandaps throughout the country.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed announced the measures on Wednesday, September 30, following a high-level coordination meeting involving senior officials from law-enforcement agencies and representatives of major Hindu community organisations. He said responsibilities for ensuring security and smooth celebrations have been assigned at the national, divisional, district and upazila levels.

24-Hour Monitoring Across Bangladesh

According to the government, around 33,851 puja mandaps will host Durga Puja celebrations this year, an increase of nearly 1,500 from the previous year.

Police will maintain 24-hour monitoring through control cells at Police Headquarters as well as divisional and district levels. Authorities will also use a digital application developed by the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC) to speed up the reporting of any untoward incident.

The application had previously been used during elections. Officials are being trained to operate the system so that information from puja venues can reach authorities quickly and appropriate action can be taken.

Police stations are also collecting verified names and contact information of volunteers working at individual mandaps. Volunteers will receive identification cards where required to make coordination with law-enforcement agencies easier.

Authorities Say No High-Risk Mandap Identified

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said intelligence agencies had not identified any particular mandap as vulnerable or high-risk so far. However, law-enforcement agencies will remain on heightened alert throughout the celebrations and will respond if any security threat emerges.

The police leadership has separately instructed field-level officers to prepare area-specific security plans and remain alert to rumours and misinformation circulating on social media. Authorities have also been directed to strengthen cyber monitoring and take legal action against those attempting to disrupt communal harmony.

Electricity and Emergency Arrangements

The Home Ministry has instructed authorities to ensure uninterrupted electricity at puja venues. Mandap committees have been asked to keep generators ready around the clock and maintain rechargeable lights as backup arrangements in case of power or generator failure.

The government has also increased financial support for Durga Puja mandaps to Tk 5 crore from Tk 4 crore, according to the Home Minister.

Durga Puja Holiday Extended

Alongside the security arrangements, Bangladesh has extended the official Durga Puja holiday to three days. When combined with the regular Friday and Saturday weekend, the decision will provide a five-day break, according to the Home Minister.

The government has said the broader objective is to ensure that Durga Puja is celebrated peacefully and that religious and social harmony is maintained.

With enhanced police monitoring, a dedicated digital reporting system, verified volunteer networks and backup arrangements at puja venues, Bangladesh is preparing a nationwide security framework ahead of this year’s Durga Puja celebrations.