Members of the Hindu community held a procession on the occasion of Janmashtami, an annual festival that celebrates the birth of Krishna, a major deity in Hinduism.
The procession started at the Palashi intersection at 4:21pm on Wednesday.
Earlier in the day, at the Palashi intersection in the capital, the "Historical Central Janmashtami Procession" marked the Central Janmashtami Festival 2023.
This procession was organized by the Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee and was inaugurated by Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, mayor of the Dhaka South City Corporation, in the presence of Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader.
During the inauguration, Obaidul Quader, also road transport and bridges minister, mentioned five pieces of advice given by Shri Krishna and highlighted the need for unity and religious neutrality in the country, especially in the face of what he referred to as "unethical activities" by the BNP.
Mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh extended his Janmashtami greetings to all and urged for unity to prevent communal and militant forces from gaining influence in Bangladesh.
Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee leaders said the procession would conclude in front of Bahadur Shah Park in Sadarghat.
Krishna devotees and people of various religions gathered at Shahbagh, TSC, and Doel Chattar to witness the Janmashtami procession, which featured 200 trucks, pick-ups, vans, and children dressed up as Krishna.
To ensure public safety, multiple teams of police, RAB, and other law enforcement agencies worked along the procession route from Palashi intersection to Sadarghat, including Shahbagh, TSC, and Doel Chattar.
The Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee and Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad centrally organized a two-day program for Janmashtami celebrations. This included Gita Yajna at Dhakeswari National Temple Melang at 8am for the well-being of the country and nation, the historic Central Janmashtami procession at 3pm, and Krishna Puja at night as per Tithi.
Greetings will be exchanged with the prime minister at Ganabhaban on Thursday morning.
Furthermore, a discussion meeting and award distribution ceremony will take place at Dhakeshwari National Temple at 3pm on September 8.
Indian High Commissioner Pranay Verma will inaugurate the event, and Planning Minister MA Mannan will serve as the chief guest, with State Minister for Religious Affairs Mohammad Faridul Haque Khan and Special Assistant to the Prime Minister Barrister Biplab Barua attending as special guests.
