Durga Puja in festive mood in Sylhet as leaders tour mandaps with message of harmony
A festive atmosphere prevails in Sylhet as the Sharodiya Durga Puja celebrations get under way. Puja mandaps across the city and surrounding areas are drawing growing crowds of devotees and visitors, turning the venues into meeting places for people of all communities.
During the festival, BNP leaders visited several puja mandaps in Sylhet. Going from mandap to mandap, they exchanged greetings with puja committee members and devotees and enquired about the overall arrangements.
During the visits, the leaders said communal harmony among the people of this region is a long-standing tradition. They called on everyone to work collectively to make that existing harmony even stronger.
The speakers also said that while faith belongs to each individual, the festival belongs to all — and that holding on to this spirit is what keeps peace and goodwill intact in society. They urged everyone to remain united so that communal harmony stays unbroken.
Durga Puja is also being celebrated peacefully in other districts of Sylhet Division. Prasad distribution, cultural programmes and various other events at the mandaps have spread the festive mood everywhere.
Those involved with the puja celebration councils said this year's arrangements are proceeding in an orderly manner with the cooperation of the administration and local public representatives. Organisers believe the political leaders' harmony message during their mandap visits has added a new dimension to the festival.
Local residents say the practice of celebrating festivals together in Sylhet, regardless of whether one is Hindu or Muslim, is a very old one. The presence of people of all faiths around the mandaps during the puja days is proof of that tradition.
Organisers and administration officials have sought everyone's cooperation to maintain the peaceful atmosphere through the remaining days of the festival. All have been urged to stay vigilant so that this bond of harmony is not harmed in any way.
