Border Guard deploys for Durga Puja security

Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) will deploy personnel across the border districts, as well as in Gopalganj, Madaripur and Faridpur, from October 16 to 22 to safeguard the Durga Puja festivities, with troops assigned to protect 2,727 puja venues nationwide.

Announcing the plan at a press conference at the force’s headquarters in Pilkhana, Dhaka, on Friday, October 16, BGB Director (Operations) Lieutenant Colonel Md Mahbub Murshed Rahman said the decision accorded with the government’s latest directives. He added that security operations would be conducted in close coordination with local administrations, police and puja celebration committees. Of the venues under BGB protection, roughly 1,425 lie within eight kilometres of the border, while 1,119 are situated within three kilometres of battalion headquarters and 183 are in remote or hard-to-reach areas.

Rahman disclosed that personnel had already inspected the venues and formulated security plans tailored to access routes, local conditions and communication facilities. Moreover, around 21 base camps have been established to facilitate operations in isolated locations. To bolster coordination, the force is using the Sharadiya Surokkha application and has set up monitoring cells at both its headquarters and field levels, enabling personnel to exchange information, assess emerging situations and respond more efficiently.

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The BGB will also intensify surveillance to curb rumours, misinformation and communal incitement throughout the festival. Accordingly, Rahman urged the public to verify sensitive information before sharing it, cautioning against the repercussions of circulating unsubstantiated claims. Furthermore, he assured Hindu communities that security forces and local administrations would uphold their right to observe religious rituals and celebrate peacefully, expressing hope that collective cooperation would ensure a safe and joyous festival.