The five-day Sharadiya Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, began in Gopalganj on Friday with Maha Shashthi rituals, including the invocation and ceremonial welcome of the goddess.
According to the traditional calendar, this year's celebrations will continue for six days, ending on Wednesday, with Bijoya Dashami and the immersion of idols.
The festivities began gathering momentum on Thursday evening, when temples and puja mandaps across the district were illuminated with colourful lights and decorated with elaborate pandals, ornate gates and eye-catching designs. The sound of drums and conch shells added to the festive atmosphere as devotees visited the mandaps to offer prayers, take photographs and celebrate.
Priests performed Shashthi rituals on Friday morning, formally welcoming Goddess Durga to the mortal world from her heavenly abode on Mount Kailash, accompanied by her four children — Lakshmi, Saraswati, Kartik and Ganesha.
The goddess's face will be unveiled at the mandaps on Saturday, marking Maha Saptami. Saptami rituals will continue tomorrow, followed by Ashtami on Monday, Navami on Tuesday and Dashami on Wednesday.
This year, Durga Puja is being celebrated at 1,288 mandaps across Gopalganj's five upazilas and four municipalities. Security has been strengthened at the venues to ensure peaceful celebrations.
Sanjay Sikdar, general secretary of the Gopalganj district unit of the Puja Udjapan Parishad, said devotees would bid farewell to the goddess through idol immersion on Dashami, before welcoming her again the following year.
Dipankar Chakraborty, a priest at Shahapara Temple in the town, said the goddess arrived this year riding a horse and would depart by boat. According to traditional beliefs, the two modes of transport symbolise social uncertainty and agricultural prosperity, respectively.
Durga Puja is also being celebrated at 445 mandaps across Sunamganj. The five-day festival began on Friday with Maha Shashthi and will conclude on Bijoya Dashami.
The Special Response Battalion (SRB) has stepped up surveillance on social media to prevent rumours and misinformation that could disrupt communal harmony during Durga Puja.
Its cyber team is monitoring Facebook, Instagram and other platforms around the clock, said Wing Commander Tajminur Rahman Chowdhury, commander of SRB-9 Sylhet.
He made the remarks on Friday after inspecting security arrangements at the Durgabari Puja Mandap in Sunamganj town.
He said bomb disposal teams were ready to respond to reports of suspected explosives near puja mandaps. Drone surveillance, special patrols and dog squads have been deployed, while speedboats remain on standby for remote areas. Helicopter support will be provided if necessary.
A strong security cordon has been established across the four districts under SRB-9 to maintain law and order, he added. The force will remain on duty until Bijoya Dashami, the final day of the festival.