Dhaka Deputy Commissioner and District Magistrate Farida Khanam has warned that no lapses in security will be tolerated at Durga Puja venues, ordering strict measures against disorder, provocation, drug use, sexual harassment and criminal activities during the upcoming Hindu religious festival.
She issued the directives while chairing a meeting on security, law and order and overall preparations for Durga Puja 2026 at the Savar Upazila Parishad auditorium at 4pm on Wednesday (7 October), where officials said celebrations would take place at 238 Puja venues across the upazila.
Khanam instructed the authorities to identify and prevent rumours before they spread on social media, rather than responding only after misinformation had circulated.
She said security must be maintained at every stage, from the construction of idols to the celebrations and their eventual immersion.
Particular attention should be given to important and vulnerable venues, with police, Ansar, CRB/SRB personnel and volunteers working in coordination. Patrols and intelligence surveillance should also be intensified wherever necessary.
According to information presented at the meeting, Savar municipality will host 45 Puja venues, followed by 40 in Shimulia union, 30 in Pathalia, 26 in Tetuljhora, 22 in Bhakurta, 14 in Birulia, 13 in Dhamsona, 12 each in Bangaon and Kaundia, 11 in Ashulia, 10 in Yearpur and three in Savar union.
No Puja venue has been planned in Aminbazar union this year.
Khanam directed officials to install IP cameras at important venues and ensure that video footage is recorded and preserved.
Rechargeable IP cameras should be installed where necessary and linked to the offices of the upazila nirbahi officer and the respective police stations.
She also called for identity cards and armbands for volunteers, alongside the deployment of sufficient female volunteers.
The deputy commissioner instructed law enforcement agencies to adopt a zero-tolerance approach towards disorder, incitement, drug-related activities, eve-teasing, harassment of women and children and any criminal activities at Puja venues.
She stressed the importance of maintaining contact numbers of Puja celebration committee members with the administration and law enforcement agencies, while keeping WhatsApp groups active for immediate communication.
On fire safety, Khanam ordered every venue to have at least one fire extinguisher with a minimum capacity of five kilograms, adequate lighting, rechargeable lights and generators where necessary.
She said electrical connections must be free from faults and instructed the Fire Service and electricity department to inspect electrical installations and fire safety arrangements before the celebrations begin.
For idol immersion, the district administrator directed organisers to use designated locations, with Fire Service personnel, river police and diving teams kept ready at immersion sites.
She also called for adequate lighting, cleanliness, traffic management and public safety measures to ensure that immersion activities are completed within the stipulated time.
Addressing the threat of misinformation, Khanam urged people not to share unverified information on social media.
She said the authorities must identify the sources of rumours and prevent their circulation before they spread. Anyone attempting to undermine religious harmony should be brought swiftly under the law.
Invoking the principle that “Religion is personal, festivals are for everyone”, she called for mutual respect and tolerance among communities.
She also urged organisers to control the volume of microphones and musical instruments at Puja venues during the azan and prayer times, while respecting the religious sentiments of people of other faiths.
The deputy commissioner highlighted the importance of dengue prevention and cleanliness, directing organisers to prevent stagnant water from accumulating around Puja venues and ensure prompt waste removal after the celebrations.
She also instructed the authorities not to allow fairs, drug use, gambling, housie or other unlawful activities around the venues.
Khanam said security preparations should begin from Mahalaya rather than the opening day of Durga Puja.
Necessary security arrangements must be in place from 5am on 10 October to mark Mahalaya, she said.
She also directed organisers not to arrange cultural programmes at Puja venues, temples or nearby locations after idol immersion.
Calling for special vigilance in border areas, Khanam said illegal border crossings or infiltration must not be allowed.
She urged Puja celebration committees to work as partners of the administration and report potential threats or risks immediately instead of waiting for incidents to occur.
The deputy commissioner said ensuring security during Durga Puja was not merely about protecting a religious festival but also a test of communal harmony, mutual respect and social responsibility.
She said the Dhaka district administration would give the highest priority to protecting Puja venues, ensuring uninterrupted movement and creating an environment in which devotees could perform religious rituals peacefully.
Khanam expressed hope that coordinated preparations, maximum vigilance and mutual cooperation would help ensure a safe, peaceful, orderly and harmonious Durga Puja across Savar.
State Minister for Fisheries and Livestock Sultan Salauddin Tuku attended the meeting as chief guest, while Dhaka-19 lawmaker Dewan Mohammad Salahuddin, popularly known as Babu, was present as special guest.
Additional District Magistrate Jaber Md Shoaib, Savar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Saiful Islam, officers-in-charge of Savar and Ashulia police stations, Puja celebration committee leaders, journalists and local dignitaries also attended.
