|| Zahidul Islam Mian stresses communal harmony, devotees’ safety ahead of Durga PujaChattogram Bureau: Chattogram Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Zahidul Islam Mian has inaugurated the district’s Mahalaya celebrations for the first time, according to organisers, marking what they described as a significant gesture of communal harmony and mutual respect.The programme, titled Shubho Mahalaya 2026, was organised by the Chattogram District Puja Udjapan Parishad on Saturday. Parishad leaders said Zahidul was the first deputy commissioner of the district to inaugurate the celebrations, although the claim could not be independently verified.Addressing the gathering, Zahidul said that in his 21 years of service in field administration, he had never witnessed Mahalaya celebrations on such a large scale.Highlighting Chattogram’s rich cultural heritage, he said the country’s ethnic and religious diversity was a source of pride for Bangladesh and stressed the importance of preserving its longstanding tradition of peaceful coexistence among communities.The deputy commissioner also underscored that the success of religious festivals should not be measured solely by the scale of their arrangements. Ensuring the safety, comfort and well-being of devotees, he said, was equally important.He urged the organisers to give special attention to women’s safety, maintain orderly movement of visitors and deploy well-organised volunteers who could be easily identified and approached for assistance.“Every visitor should be able to return home with pleasant memories of the celebrations,” he said, emphasising the need for effective crowd management and coordinated preparations.Referring to the upcoming Durga Puja, scheduled to begin on October 16, Zahidul said the district administration had already held coordination meetings with relevant stakeholders to ensure peaceful and smooth celebrations across the district.He said the government had increased allocations for this year’s festivities, while preparations were underway to manage an expected increase in visitor numbers.As part of the preparations, the deputy commissioner said he had inspected a puja mandap in Hathazari earlier in the day and would continue visiting other venues to assess their readiness.He called for close coordination among law enforcement agencies, festival organisers and volunteers to maintain security and prevent any untoward incidents during the celebrations.Assuring the Hindu community of the administration’s full support, Zahidul said safeguarding communal harmony and cultural diversity was a shared responsibility that required collective efforts from all sections of society.Organisers welcomed the deputy commissioner’s participation, saying he spent time with them and assured them of administrative support ahead of Durga Puja. They viewed his presence as an encouraging sign of mutual respect and cooperation among religious communities.Professor Arpan Kanti Banerjee, president of the Chattogram District Puja Udjapan Parishad, its general secretary Advocate Nikhil Kumar Nath and joint secretary Advocate Natu Chowdhury attended the programme alongside other parishad leaders.The deputy commissioner later formally declared the Mahalaya programme open.Mahalaya marks the beginning of the countdown to Durga Puja, one of the largest religious festivals of the Hindu community. Beyond its religious significance, the occasion also provides an opportunity to celebrate cultural heritage, strengthen community bonds and reaffirm the values of tolerance and peaceful coexistence.