The five-day Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindus, begins today at temples in Dhaka and elsewhere across the country.

"The festival inaugurates on Sashthi with Kalparambha in the morning and Bodhon, Amantran and Adhibas of the Goddess Durga in the evening," said Niranjan Moharaj, assistant secretary of Dhaka Ramkrishna Mission and Moth yesterday.

"Recitation from verses of the holy Chandi will be held at puja mandaps

Durga Puja

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On the eve of the festival, President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Leader of the Opposition Khaleda Zia, in separate messages, conveyed their heartiest greetings to the Hindus.

"Bangladesh is a glaring instance of communal harmony in the world," Hamid said, hoping that everybody would contribute from their respective position for the development of the nation, maintaining communal harmony.

In her message, the premier said Sharadiya Durga Utsav is not the festival of the Hindu community alone, it has turned into a festival of all, irrespective of race and religion.

“The main characteristic of Durga Utsav is ruination of the evil forces and prayer for truth and beauty.

" Bangladesh is a safe haven for people irrespective of religious belief, creed and colour. Our constitution enshrines the equal rights of people of all faiths," she added.

Nirmal Chatterjee, general secretary of Dhaka City Sarbojanin Puja Committee told BSS a total of28,000 puja pandals had been erected for Durga Puja across the country. The figure was27,200 last year.