Order given to avoid recurrence of border killings: home adviser

Home Affairs Adviser Lieutenant General (retd) Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said today that authorities concerned have been ordered to take measures so that border killings do not take place in the future.

The adviser made the remark in reply to a reporter’s query after a meeting on law and order at the secretariat today on the upcoming Durga Puja.

“There was a discussion here about border killings … I have ordered the authorities concerned to take steps so that such incidents do not happen in the future.

“I would request you to help me so that such incidents do not happen in the future.”

The adviser said, “Another problem arises during the [Durga] Puja. People from this side go to see the puja on the other side [in India], and people from the other side come to see the puja.

“That is why I have requested everyone to arrange good puja pandals on the border belt so that our people do not need to go to the other side to see the puja. And order has also been given to ensure that people from the other side do not come here to see the puja,” he said.

He said the ministry has taken necessary steps to ensure smooth and peaceful celebration of Durga Puja. Measures are also being taken so that Durga Puja can be held in a festive environment.

He said that according to the information they have received so far, there will be 32,666 puja mandaps across the country, and that number will increase.

Religious Affairs Advisers AFM Khalid Hossain, presidium member and former president of Bangladesh Hindu-Buddha-Christian Oikya Parishad Subrata Chowdhury, President of Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad Basudev Dhar, and General Secretary Santosh Sharma, Joint General Secretary of Bangladesh Hindu-Buddha-Christian Oikya Parishad Manindra Kumar Nath, President of Dhaka Mohanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee Jayanta Kumar Dev, and General Secretary Tapas Pal, among others, were present at the meeting.

Some 20 decisions were taken during the meeting for the upcoming puja celebration, according to a home ministry statement.

Jahangir said security measures will start from the time of construction of the puja mandap.

He also outlined how volunteers would be recruited and deployed.

“Recruitment will be made from citizens of the country. A volunteer will be given time-bound assignments. Like someone from one to three in the morning. The number of these volunteers will be at least three at night and at least two during the day,” he said.

Religious Affairs Adviser Khalid Hossain said madrasa students were prepared to work as volunteers during Durga Puja, if the puja committee so wished.

“There will be helicopters in the sky for security during Durga Puja. And there will be divers on the day of Dashami. That’s what we decided in the meeting,” the adviser said.

“In the past, we used to send a summary to the prime minister before Durga Puja. There was a grant of Tk 2-3 crore. This is the first time that the chief adviser has allocated Tk 4 crore for the puja. We will make a list and distribute this Tk 4 crore to insolvent temples through the deputy commissioners,” he said.

The home adviser said it was discussed in the meeting that the use of musical instruments and loudspeakers should be stopped at least five minutes before azan till the end of prayers.

Representatives of the Hindu community present in the meeting agreed with the decision.