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Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed has said that fallen fascist forces are trying to exploit the situation, but the government will not allow any opportunity to create instability.
He made the remarks at a press conference on Durga Puja celebrations at the Secretariat on Sunday (October 25).
The minister said the autumnal Durga Puja had been celebrated peacefully, enthusiastically and in a secure environment in Bangladesh after many years. He described the successful celebration amid religious harmony as a shining example and thanked those who had worked to ensure the peaceful atmosphere.
Salahuddin praised the roles of Bangladesh Police, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party, intelligence agencies, journalists and people from all walks of life in maintaining security during the festival. He said the collective efforts of all concerned had helped ensure peaceful celebrations.
Referring to previous years, the minister said various accidents, untoward incidents, acts of terrorism and attempts to undermine religious harmony had occurred during Durga Puja over the past 15 to 17 years. This year, however, such situations had been avoided.
He expressed hope that the same peaceful environment would continue in the coming years with everyone’s cooperation.
He said the authorities had prioritised preventive security measures during this year’s celebrations rather than responding only after incidents occurred.
According to the minister, digital systems and technology-based applications were used to monitor the situation from grassroots level to union, ward, upazila, district and divisional levels.
The situation was monitored centrally in real time, enabling authorities to identify some planned incidents in advance. Law enforcement agencies took necessary action in the cases identified, he added.
Highlighting the scale of the celebrations and government support, Salahuddin said the country recorded its highest-ever number of Durga Puja venues in 2026, with a total of 33,851 puja mandaps nationwide.
Regarding government grants, he said the allocation for Durga Puja had previously stood at a maximum of Tk 4 crore. This year, the prime minister increased it by Tk 1 crore. He also highlighted arrangements for a total of five days of holidays, including public and weekly holidays, as well as an additional day off for the festival.
The allocation of rice for each puja mandap was also increased by 100kg to 600kg, he said.
The minister said these initiatives reflected the government’s commitment to preserving religious harmony and building a united Bangladesh in which people of all faiths could participate.
He reaffirmed that the government would continue working to advance the country with people of all religions and expressed hope that collective efforts would help maintain peace and harmony.
