Last Updated on October 9, 2026 10:43 pm by INDIAN AWAAZ
Zakir Hossain, Dhaka
Bangladesh’s Hindu community will celebrate Mahalaya on Saturday (October 10), marking the countdown to Durga Puja, its biggest religious festival, with special prayers and cultural programmes at temples across the country.
Dhakeshwari National Temple in Dhaka will hold celebrations at dawn, with the Indian high commissioner expected to attend, Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee general secretary Suvasish Kumar Biswas Sadhan said. Ramna Kali Mandir will also organise a major celebration, temple committee joint secretary Mintu Basu said.
Mahalaya marks the end of Pitru Paksha, dedicated to ancestors, and the beginning of Devi Paksha. Hindus honour deceased ancestors through prayers and offerings of clothes to Brahmins. According to tradition, Goddess Durga begins her journey from Kailash to her parental home on Earth.
Dhaka University Jagannath Hall chief priest Sadhan Chakrabarty said the goddess would arrive on horseback (Ghotak) and depart by boat (Nauka) this year, traditionally signifying abundant rainfall and good harvests, or Shasyashyamala Vasundhara.
Durga Puja preparations
Durga Puja will begin with Maha Shashthi on October 16 and conclude with Bijaya Dashami on October 21.
Home minister Salahuddin Ahmed said celebrations would take place at 33,851 pandals nationwide, nearly 1,500 more than last year. Government funding has increased from Tk 4 crore to Tk 5 crore following directives from Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
Puja committees are completing pandal decorations, idol installations, lighting and religious and cultural arrangements, while authorities are preparing security and crowd-management measures.
Five-day holiday
The government has declared three Durga Puja holidays from October 20 to 22, providing five consecutive days off through October 24, including the Friday-Saturday weekend.
A gazette issued on October 7 declared October 20 (Maha Navami) and October 22 executive-order holidays, while October 21 (Bijaya Dashami) is a general holiday. The decision was approved at an October 5 Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
To compensate, government, semi-government, autonomous, semi-autonomous and private offices will remain open on Saturday, October 17.
Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad president Basudeb Dhar welcomed the move.
“It’s truly a positive decision. We thank the prime minister for such decision,” he said.
Suvasish Kumar Biswas Sadhan also thanked the government, saying the extended break would allow greater participation in celebrations and easier travel to home districts. He urged the government to make the three-day holiday permanent from next year rather than announcing it through executive orders.
The Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council (BHBCUC) also welcomed the decision.
“Through this, a long-standing demand of the minority communities has been fulfilled,” said its joint secretary general Manindra Kumar Natha.
Religious rituals
Durga Puja commemorates Goddess Durga’s victory over demon king Mahishasura, symbolising good triumphing over evil. According to Hindu mythology, the gods combined their powers to create Durga to defeat Mahishasura, who had received a boon protecting him from men.
The rituals begin with Kalparambha and Bodhan on Maha Shashthi, followed by Nabapatrika or Kola Bou Puja on Maha Saptami, involving the ceremonial bathing and worship of nine plants representing forms of the goddess.
Maha Ashtami features Sandhi Puja at the transition to Navami, followed by Maha Navami worship and bhog offerings. The festival concludes with Bijaya Dashami, when devotees take idols in processions for immersion, or Bisarjan, in designated rivers and ponds.
Celebrated by Bengali Hindus worldwide, Durga Puja also attracts people of other faiths in Bangladesh, reflecting traditions of communal harmony. Devotees and visitors gather at pandals for prayers, prasad and cultural programmes.
Security and essential services
Home minister Salahuddin Ahmed said authorities would use a mobile application previously deployed by the National Telecommunication Monitoring Center (NTMC) to report incidents quickly and strengthen security monitoring.
The home ministry has ordered uninterrupted electricity at puja venues, with organisers instructed to maintain round-the-clock generator backups and rechargeable lights.
Essential services, including electricity, water, gas, fuel, fire services, ports, sanitation, telecommunications, internet, postal operations and related transport, will remain operational during the holidays.
Hospitals, emergency medical services, doctors, healthcare staff, medical supply vehicles and emergency offices will also continue functioning.
Bangladesh Bank will issue instructions on banking operations, while the Supreme Court will decide court arrangements. The labour ministry will issue separate directives for private industries, factories and establishments under the Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006.