Rizvi visits puja at Jagannath Hall: holiday of three days, rice allocation for mandaps raised to 600kg
Photo: Collected
Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) acting secretary general Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi has said that Sharadiya Durga Puja returns again and again with the arrival of the mother. Destroying untruth in society and establishing truth and justice is the core message of Durga Puja.
He said this today addressing the visitors and devotees of the Sanatan faith present after visiting the Durga Puja at Dhaka University’s Jagannath Hall.
The BNP acting secretary general said the message that Durga Puja gives is universal and not of any single religious community. This message is for the people of every religious community, for human life.
Ruhul Kabir Rizvi further said at the time that a festival teaches people to cross all boundaries and inspires a sense of brotherhood. In the universal appeal of a festival, people of other religions also feel joy.
He said it is the state’s duty to protect the rights of every citizen. Ensuring that this Durga Puja is celebrated without hindrance, in peace and with security, is the state’s duty, and the state is discharging that very duty.
He further said that although our brothers of the Hindu community applied for a two-day holiday this time, the government has made it three days. Hindu brothers are able to enjoy a total of five days’ holiday this time. Besides, although the allocation for the various puja mandaps and temples used to be 500kg of rice, the government has allocated 600kg of rice this time.
Speaking of the implementation of the government’s pledges, he said that the priest and the attendant of every temple will receive an honorarium from the government every month. The government is working to implement this election pledge.
Speaking of Bangladesh’s non-communal character, the BNP acting secretary general said it is Bangladesh’s thousand-year-old tradition that we have taken part in one another’s festivals. Some may hatch intrigues and conspire against this noble tradition of ours, but the devout people of this country will never let this conspiracy be carried out.
He also said at the time that we have taken part together in our folk cultural tradition for hundreds of years. Puja and religious belief are a matter for each person. But as for the state’s duty, Tarique Rahman has ensured that every citizen can exercise their religious rights.
Background
According to a BSS report of 16 October 2026, in response to the demand of the Hindu community the government extended the Durga Puja holiday to three days by executive order, and together with the weekly holiday this amounts to a five-day holiday from 20 to 24 October.
The numbers
That BSS report, citing the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, said Durga Puja is being held at 33,851 mandaps across the country this year, about 1,500 more than last year.
According to the same report, on the Prime Minister’s instructions the government grant for the mandaps has been raised from Tk 4 crore to Tk 5 crore.
Source
Background source: BSS, 16 October 2026
