CCTV, drones, helicopters to strengthen Durga Puja security

Comprehensive security measures have been put in place across Bangladesh to ensure the peaceful and festive celebration of Sharadiya Durga Puja at 33,851 puja mandaps nationwide.

Law enforcement agencies are strengthening ground-level deployment, expanding CCTV surveillance and preparing drones and helicopters for aerial monitoring, particularly during idol immersion.

The nationwide security operation aims to prevent criminal activities, preserve communal harmony, manage large crowds and ensure a swift response to any untoward incidents during the country’s largest Hindu religious festival.

The celebrations will formally begin with Maha Shashthi on 16 October and conclude with Bijoya Dashami on 21 October.

Authorities have identified crime-prone areas, major puja mandaps, crowded public spaces and strategic access roads for intensified surveillance. Checkposts, routine patrols and specialised motorcycle patrol teams have been deployed as part of a preventive security strategy.

Technology will play a central role in the operation. CCTV cameras and monitoring facilities will strengthen real-time surveillance at key festival venues, while drones and helicopters will support aerial monitoring, especially during idol immersion, when large gatherings are expected at designated locations. These measures will complement, rather than replace, the deployment of security personnel on the ground.

Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed said Bangladesh continued to maintain an environment of religious harmony and communal coexistence. He noted that around 33,851 mandaps would host Durga Puja celebrations this year, approximately 1,500 more than last year.

To strengthen technology-driven monitoring, the minister said a specialised application developed by the National Telecommunication Monitoring Centre (NTMC), previously used during the national election, would also be deployed for Durga Puja security. Training would be provided at the district level to ensure its effective use.

Round-the-clock monitoring teams will operate at Police Headquarters and at divisional and district levels to assess the security situation, facilitate information-sharing and coordinate responses to emerging threats.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md Ali Hossain Fakir said police had adopted a comprehensive three-phase security plan covering the pre-festival period, the celebrations and the idol immersion and post-festival periods. Security operations around puja venues have already begun.

Under the plan, uniformed and plainclothes police personnel will be deployed alongside specialised units, including the Special Weapons and Tactics (SWAT) team, Crime Response Teams (CRT), Quick Response Teams (QRT), crime scene vans and bomb disposal units. Monitoring cells will remain operational around the clock at Police Headquarters and other police units to ensure rapid coordination and emergency response.

The Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party will also play a significant role in securing festival venues. Director of Operations Md Ayub Ali told BSS that advance security preparations were underway, including inspections of idol-making sites, puja mandaps and temples.

The Special Response Battalion (SRB) has also intensified intelligence gathering around puja mandaps and adjoining areas to prevent criminal incidents and maintain public order.

According to the battalion, a 24-hour control room has been established, supported by a dedicated hotline to provide assistance throughout the festival. SRB Law and Media Wing Director Wing Commander MZM Entekhab Chowdhury told BSS that comprehensive security measures had been introduced nationwide to prevent untoward incidents and safeguard communal harmony.

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Regular patrols, special motorcycle patrols and strategically positioned checkposts will remain active throughout the celebrations. The SRB’s cyber wing will also monitor social media for rumours, provocative content and misinformation that could incite tensions or disrupt communal peace.

Entekhab Chowdhury said adequate SRB personnel had been deployed in coordination with local administrations and puja celebration committees to protect mandaps and ensure the smooth movement of devotees and visitors.

In Dhaka, security has been strengthened at major puja venues that attract large numbers of visitors, including central festival locations. The SRB headquarters control room will oversee the overall security situation, while special patrol teams and checkposts will operate at key locations and entry points to the capital.

Warning against attempts to disrupt communal harmony, Entekhab Chowdhury said such activities would be dealt with firmly. He urged the public to cooperate with law enforcement agencies and report suspicious activities, assuring them that the identities of informants would remain confidential.

Ansar will deploy a total of 212,834 members nationwide. Eight members will be assigned to each highly important and important mandap, while six will be stationed at each general mandap.

Beyond personnel deployment, the force is prioritising coordination with local administrations and other security agencies to ensure orderly entry and exit, adequate lighting, fire safety and effective security arrangements at festival venues.

The coordinated operation brings together intelligence gathering, physical security, cyber surveillance, aerial monitoring, crowd management and round-the-clock monitoring through control rooms.

Authorities said the combined measures were intended to minimise risks, strengthen preparedness and enable millions of devotees and visitors to celebrate Durga Puja in a safe, peaceful and inclusive environment across Bangladesh.