Bangladesh sets up 33,851 pandals for Durga Puja amid optimism
World
Durga Puja is getting a bigger spotlight in Bangladesh this year, with 33,851 pandals set up, 1,460 more than last year.
The Hindu community is feeling safer and more upbeat about the festival.
As Basudeb Dhar, president of the Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad (BPUP), put it, we were not experiencing the same 'sense of fear' which had clouded their festivities the past two years.
Bangladesh boosts Puja grant to 5cr
The government has boosted its grant for Durga Puja to ₹5 crore (up from ₹4 crore), and reports of idol desecration have dropped to just four incidents this year.
Law enforcement will be on duty around pandals, backed by volunteers, as part of efforts to keep festivities safe and lively for everyone.