Staff Correspondent

Home Adviser Lt Gen (retd) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury today said that he had instructed the authorities concerned for taking steps to prevent border killing as he hoped that such incident will not be repeated further.

“The authorities concerned of Bangladesh side were given instruction for taking necessary measures to prevent killing of Bangladeshi citizens at border in future.

I hope this kind of incident will not take place again in the future,” he said.

The adviser made the points while talking to newsmen following a meeting on law and order ahead of Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community in Bangladesh, at Bangladesh Secretariat here.

Responding to a question, he told newsmen that there was a little discussion held in the meeting about the border killing. “I will only say, I have ordered concerned authority to take necessary measures to prevent such incidents in future.”

In this connection, he sought cooperation from journalists to help prevent border killings in future.

Mentioning another problem to maintain law and order during Puja festival, the adviser said, “Many Bangladeshi people travel to Indian side to celebrate Puja while Indian people used to visit our side on the occasion,” he added.

Giving details, the adviser said that the ministry of home affairs had taken necessary measures so that the country’s Hindu community could celebrate the upcoming Durga Puja in a smooth and peaceful manner.

Moreover, the allocation from the Chief Adviser’s fund has been doubled to Tk 4.0 crore in favour of different temples so that members of “Sanatan religion community” can celebrate the upcoming Durga Puja with festivity and religious fervor across the country.

The meeting held an elaborate discussion on ensuring full-proof security at different temples in the country, maintaining law and order and relevant issues ahead of the Durga Puja festival.
It decided to ensure safety during construction of ‘Puja Mandap’ and ensuring round-the-clock security there.
Decision was also taken to monitor temples areas through IP cameras by concerned UNO offices and police stations and formation of special team at National Emergency Service (999) for round-the-clock monitoring.

It, however, decided to deploy required number of police, plainclothes police, RAB and members of intelligence agencies in and around the ‘Puja Mandaps’. Ansar will also be deployed as static force in every ‘Puja Mandap’ to maintain law and order there.

Besides, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will ensure overall security of the ‘Puja Mandaps’ set up at the bordering areas. Similarly, Bangladesh Coast Guard will ensure security of “Puja Mandaps in the coastal areas, the meeting decided.

According to official sources that fire service and civil defense diving team/river police/coastguard diving team will be kept ready to prevent fire and other accidents in ‘Puja Mandaps’ and conduct rescue and evacuation operations at the designated places by the local administration by 7 pm.

Steps have been taken to ensure uninterrupted power supply throughout the country including Dhaka, especially in “Puja Mandap” areas and ensure engagement of concerned Puja celebration committees with required number of volunteers and guards for the security of the “Puja Mandaps”.

They said at the time of Azaan and Namaz nearby the temples, the puja and its music to be kept limited use and stop use of loud speaker during that time.

The members of Hindu community will celebrate the “Durga Puja” on October 9-13, 2024 across the country.

Religious Affairs Adviser A F M Khalid Hossain, Presidium member and former president of Bangladesh Hindu, Buddhist, Christian Oikya Parishad Adv. Subrata Chowdhury, President of Bangladesh Puja Celebration Parishad Basudev Dhar and General Secretary Santosh Sharma, Joint General Secretary of Bangladesh Hindu, Buddhist, Christian Oikya Parishad Monindra Kumar Nath, President of Dhaka Metropolitan City Puja Committee Jayant Kumar Dev and General Secretary Dr Tapas Paul attended the meeting, among others.