More than 6,000 Special Reserve Battalion (SRB) personnel have been deployed across Bangladesh to ensure security during Durga Puja, with hundreds of mobile patrol teams, drone surveillance and cyber monitoring in place to prevent disruptions.
SRB Director General and Additional Inspector General of Police Md Ahsan Habib Palash disclosed the measures to journalists on Thursday evening after inspecting Mirpur Central Temple in the capital.
He said Durga Puja would be celebrated at more than 32,000 mandaps nationwide, with a special security plan being implemented from 13 to 22 October.
Personnel from all 15 SRB battalions have been assigned round-the-clock security duties, while 500 pickup patrol teams and 450 motorcycle patrol teams are conducting daily operations.
The Director General said no specific threat of sabotage targeting Durga Puja celebrations had been reported so far.
However, dog squads, bomb disposal units and special commando teams have been placed on standby to respond to any emergency.
Regular security sweeps are being conducted at major puja mandaps and sensitive locations, while drones are being used for continuous surveillance at key sites.
Cyber monitoring teams are also operating around the clock to identify and verify rumours and misleading information circulating on social media.
Warning against attempts to provoke unrest, Palash said strict legal action would be taken against anyone seeking to hurt religious sentiments or disrupt public order, whether online or offline.
He said special measures had been introduced to ensure the safety of female visitors and prevent harassment.
Additional patrols will be deployed along designated routes for transporting and immersing idols on Bijoya Dashami, with SRB personnel remaining on duty until the immersion process is completed peacefully.
The Director General stressed that maintaining law and order required coordinated efforts rather than action by a single agency.
He said SRB personnel were working closely with puja celebration committees, local administrations, volunteers and other law enforcement agencies to ensure smooth celebrations.
Round-the-clock control rooms have been activated at SRB headquarters and across all battalions to monitor security arrangements and coordinate responses.
Responding to questions about the recent law and order situation in Mirpur and Mohammadpur, Palash said no puja mandap area had been identified as risky and the force had detected no active security threat.
He added that the overall situation in Mirpur and Mohammadpur was gradually improving.
The Director General said SRB personnel would continue working to ensure public safety beyond the festival, maintaining their responsibilities with professionalism and dedication.
He urged members of the public to report any suspicious activity immediately to the nearest SRB camp or control room.
