This year, a total of 32,666 Durga Puja pandals are expected to be set up across the country; of these, 157 will be located in Dhaka South City, while Dhaka North City will host 88 pandals, said Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (Retd.) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury.
"Law enforcement agencies will provide continuous security at these puja venues," he said speaking to media after a meeting with leaders of the Puja Celebration Committee at the Secretariat on Tuesday (10 September).
He outlined specific security measures and stated that musical activities at the pandals must cease during the times of Azan and Namaz, with a mandatory shutdown of music five minutes before the Azan begins.
The adviser also addressed the arrangements for security, noting that discussions had covered ensuring safety from the construction phase through to the entire festival.
Volunteers will be recruited to prevent any untoward incidents, with at least three volunteers stationed at each pandal during the night and two during the day.
Regarding border killings, the adviser mentioned that the issue was discussed briefly.
He has instructed the relevant authorities to take measures to prevent such incidents in the future and expressed hope that such occurrences will not repeat.
Additionally, the adviser highlighted a recurring issue during the festival related to people travelling across borders to visit pandals.
He has requested that well-organised pandals be set up within the border belt to discourage cross-border travel and ensure that people do not need to travel to other areas for the festival.
