As dusk falls, Sirajganj town comes alive in a blaze of colour, with glittering lights lining the streets, temples adorned with elaborate decorations and the rhythmic beats of traditional drums filling the air.
From major roads to narrow lanes, shopping centres to puja mandaps, the town has taken on a festive appearance for Sharadiya Durga Puja, drawing families, friends and visitors from surrounding areas to enjoy the celebrations.
As the decorative lights switch on in the evening, familiar streets take on a new look. Crowds gather around illuminated temples and intricately crafted idols of Goddess Durga, turning the town into a colourful centre of festivities.
Visitors of all ages are making the most of the occasion. Some take selfies with family members, others capture the celebrations on mobile phones, while younger visitors create videos for social media.
Children’s excitement, the enthusiasm of young people and the smiling faces of elderly visitors add to the festive atmosphere. Roadside stalls selling fuchka and jhalmuri are also attracting crowds.
At temples, worshippers are offering prayers to Goddess Durga amid the sounds of traditional drums and cymbals. Decorated idols, floral offerings, fruit and other religious offerings form part of the celebrations.
The artistic craftsmanship of the idols, vibrant colours and elaborate mandap decorations have become major attractions for visitors.
Beyond religious rituals, the festival has also become an occasion for social gatherings and communal harmony, with people from different religious and professional backgrounds visiting mandaps and exchanging greetings.
Festivities have spread across all nine upazilas of Sirajganj district, although official figures differ on the number of puja mandaps.
Information from the district administration and relevant agencies puts the number at 551 or 557, while security-related records mention 562 mandaps.
The Sirajganj District Council has distributed goodwill grants totalling Tk55.10 lakh to 551 puja mandaps, with each receiving Tk10,000.
Extensive security arrangements have been put in place to ensure peaceful celebrations.
Alongside district police, members of Ansar and Village Defence Party (VDP), intelligence personnel and traffic police are deployed at puja mandaps and other important locations. Additional police have also been stationed at key points, while security arrangements at the mandaps are being monitored.
According to available information, 748 police personnel and 3,630 Ansar and VDP members are providing security at 557 puja mandaps across the district.
Of them, 586 personnel are deployed at 85 mandaps in Sirajganj Sadar upazila.
Two special striking forces from the Ansar Battalion are also on duty to respond to emergencies and maintain law and order.
Several teams and mobile patrol units of the Special Response Battalion (SRB-12) have also been deployed to strengthen security around the mandaps.
Sirajganj Deputy Commissioner Md Aminul Islam has visited puja mandaps in different upazilas and exchanged greetings with leaders of puja celebration committees.
District Police Superintendent Saiful Islam Santu has also inspected mandaps, reviewed security arrangements and issued instructions to police personnel on duty.
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Standing Committee member and Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hasan Mahmud Tuku, along with other local political leaders, has exchanged greetings with members of the Hindu community.
As the celebrations continue, Sirajganj’s illuminated streets and crowded puja mandaps reflect not only the religious significance of Durga Puja but also the spirit of togetherness that has brought people from different communities into the festivities.
