Bangladesh celebrates Durga Puja under heavy security; PM and President stress communal harmony

Bangladesh celebrates Durga Puja under heavy security; PM and President stress communal harmony left An artisan paints a clay idol of Hindu goddess Durga, in Dhaka, Bangladesh. File AP AP https://th-i.thgim.com/public/incoming/gflt2j/article71595981.ece/alternates/FREE_1200/Bangladesh_Hindu_Festival_45316.jpg MAHMUD HOSSAIN OPU An artisan paints a clay idol of Hindu goddess Durga ahead of a festival dedicated to the goddess, in Dhaka, Bangladesh, Sunday, Oct. 11, 2026. (AP Photo/Mahmud Hossain Opu) A total of 33,851 puja mandaps have been set up across Bangladesh this year, including 258 in the capital city Dhaka, according to the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad. The number has increased by nearly 1,500 from last year, according to BSS Dhaka Bangladesh is celebrating Durga Puja under extensive security arrangements, as Prime Minister Tarique Rahman and President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir greeted Hindus at home and abroad, stressing communal harmony and equal rights for people of all faiths. Mr.