Rumi Akter Polly of DOT
[2] Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Bangalee Hindu community, is being held in 30, 225 mandaps across the country this year. Last year this number was 31, 398. Compared to last year, worship ceremony is being reduced in 1,173 mandapa this time, reports Ittefaq.[3] On the other hand, there are 233 puja mandaps in Dhaka Metropolitan this year. Last year the number was 237 and there are 740 puja ceremonies in Dhaka district. Besides, puja is being held in 7, 014 mandaps in Dhaka division this time, reports Daily Bangladesh.[4] Compared to last year, there is less worship ceremonies in 550 mandaps in Chittagong division. Durga Puja is being held in 4,689 mandaps in Khulna division, 2,646 in Sylhet division, 1,584 in Mymensingh division.
, 1,701 in Barishal division, 5,250 in Rangpur division and 3,435 in Rajshahi division.
Nirmal Kumar Chatterjee, general secretary of the Bangladesh Puja Celebration Council, said Durga Puja is not being performed in many mandaps of the country due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The biggest religious festival of Bengali Hindus, Durga Puja, is starting from October 21. Earlier, the mahalaya was held on September 17.