Bangladesh asks Hindus to pause Durga Puja music during namaz, azan

By Team Asianet Newsable | First Published Sep 12, 2024, 2:44 PM IST

Bangladesh's interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, has requested that Hindu communities refrain from playing musical instruments during Durga Puja celebrations while Muslim prayers are taking place. This decision, alongside increased security measures for the festival, follows recent unrest and attacks on the Hindu minority.

The new interim government of Bangladesh under Muhammad Yunus has asked the Hindu community to avoid playing musical instruments as part of Durga Puja celebrations during namaz and azan, local media reports said.

Lieutenant General (retired) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury, Bangladesh's Home Affairs Advisor, stated that puja committees have been requested to switch off sound systems and refrain from playing musical instruments during azan and namaz. He further stated that the request has been accepted by the organisers. Speaking to the media before to Durga Puja at the Dhaka Secretariat, Chowdhury had reviewed law and order preparedness.

In addition to the sound restrictions, Chowdhury assured that the Hindu community will be provided with heightened security measures during the festivities. He stated that the government is also working to provide round-the-clock security at all puja venues, starting from the construction of the idols, to prevent any disruptions or criminal activities.

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Speaking to the media, Chowdhury said that this year, 32,666 puja pandals will be erected throughout Bangladesh, exceeding the 33,431 amount from the previous year. The government's order was issued weeks after student protests against education and employment quotas for the descendants of Bangladesh's liberation warriors and the subsequent removal of previous prime minister Shiekh Hasina led to attacks on the country's minority Hindu community.

Meanwhile, several of the Muhammad Yunus regime's actions have caused controversy in India. A few days prior to Durga Puja, Yunus's caretaker administration restricted the export of hilsa to India, causing a scarcity and skyrocketing prices of Bangladeshi ilish (as the fish is known in Bengali).

The long-standing custom of Bangladesh shipping substantial consignments of Padma ilish to India, especially West Bengal, over the holiday season was broken by the prohibition. Sheikh Hasina, the leader of the Awami League and a former prime minister, did it out of kindness.

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