Home Ministry announces added security measures, funds for Puja

Bangla Press Desk: Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed today (Wednesday) announced enhanced security measures, increased government funding and an extended holiday for the upcoming Sharadiya Durga Puja.

"Responsibilities for ensuring security and smooth celebrations have been assigned across government agencies at the national, divisional, district and upazila levels," he said.

The minister came up with the plans at a press briefing following a high-level coordination meeting at the Home Ministry on security arrangements for the peaceful celebration of Durga Puja, BSS reports. 

Senior officials from law enforcement agencies and representatives of major Hindu community organisations, including the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, Puja Front, Kalyan Trust and Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee, attended the meeting.

Salahuddin said religious and social harmony in Bangladesh had improved significantly compared to previous years.

About security risks, the minister said intelligence agencies had not identified any mandap as particularly vulnerable or high-risk so far. 

However, he said law enforcement agencies would remain on heightened alert throughout the celebrations and take immediate action if any threat emerged.

Government funding for Durga Puja mandaps has been increased to Tk 5 crore from Tk 4 crore following directives from Prime Minister Tarique Rahman, Salahuddin said.

The number of mandaps has also increased by nearly 1,500 from last year, said Salahuddin.

It is learned that the number of puja mandaps across the country rose to 33,851 this year.

However, the authorities will use a mobile application previously deployed by the National Telecommunication Monitoring Center (NTMC) to strengthen monitoring during Durga Puja.

The app will facilitate the rapid dissemination of information about any untoward incident and help authorities respond quickly to maintain a peaceful and festive environment, the minister said.

District-level officials are being trained to use the system, while 24-hour monitoring cells will operate at Police Headquarters and at divisional and district police levels.

Police stations are also collecting verified lists and contact details of volunteers at individual mandaps. 

The volunteers will receive official identification cards to facilitate coordination with law enforcement agencies.

The Home Ministry has instructed relevant authorities to ensure uninterrupted electricity supplies at puja venues.

Mandap organisers have been asked to keep generators on standby around the clock and maintain rechargeable lights as an additional backup in case of power or generator failure.

The government has extended the official Durga Puja holiday to three days in response to longstanding demands from the Hindu community.

Combined with the regular Friday and Saturday weekend holidays, the extension will provide a total five-day break, according to the minister.

Salahuddin also responded to journalists' questions about several recent law-and-order issues.

Regarding social media reports alleging idol vandalism in Sylhet, Manikganj and Dinajpur, he said the incidents had not been institutionally confirmed at the time of the briefing.

The minister said the Inspector General of Police would take immediate action if the reports were verified.

On extortion, terrorism and other crimes, he said police routinely update lists of extortionists, armed criminals and drug dealers.

He said law enforcement agencies had been instructed to treat offenders as criminals regardless of their political affiliation and take action within 24 hours.

The minister also urged citizens to call the national emergency hotline 999 when immediate police assistance is required.

Addressing the Radda Clinic incident, he said a police officer had been withdrawn and departmental proceedings initiated over alleged negligence.

He also described police intervention following a 999 call over an alleged nighttime land-grabbing attempt in the Matikata Cantonment Thana area.

The minister said preliminary inquiries are legally necessary before formal cases are filed to prevent false accusations.

Regarding the recent clash between hawkers and police in Mirpur, during which three police vehicles were reportedly set on fire, the home minister attributed the incident to an initial lack of coordination between the magistrate and police.

He said an official inquiry had been launched into the incident.

The home minister urged the public and media not to assess the country's overall law-and-order situation based solely on isolated incidents, saying the government remained committed to ensuring public safety and maintaining peace and social harmony.