The biggest religious festival of the Hindu Community, five-day Durga Puja has entered the second day as Maha Saptami is being celebrated with much enthusiasm across the country.

Maha Saptami Puja was held in the morning at temples across the country while other rituals of the day will be held across the day, reports BSS.

Recitation of verses from the Holy Chandi, blowing of conch shells and beating of dhak-dhols at temples and pandals are being continued from Maha Shashti (Monday) which will continue till immersion of idols of goddess Durga on Bijoya Dashami that falls on Friday (Oct 19).

The five-day festival began on Monday with the incarnation (Bodhon) of the Goddess Durga on the day of Maha Shashti.

Maha Ashtami, Kumari Puja and Sandhi Puja will be performed on Wednesday, Maha Nabami Puja on Thursday and Bijoya Dashami on Friday.

The five-day festival will come to an end with the immersion of the idols of the Goddess Durga on the day of Bijoya Dashami in the nearby rivers and water bodies across the country on October 19.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday visited Dhakeshwari National Temple and extended her greetings to members of the Hindu community at home and abroad on the occasion of their largest religious festival Saradiya Durgoutsab.

A mood of festivities is being witnessed among the devotees irrespective of ages marking the festival while adequate security measures have been taken in the puja pandals across the country.

In Dhaka city, the largest number of crowd of devotees are being seen at Dhakeshwari National Temple, Ramkrishna Mission and Math, Kalabagan, Banani, Shakhari Bazar and Dhaka University Jagannath Hall puja mandaps.

Security was beefed up in all Puja pandals throughout the country, including the capital, with the deployment of additional squads of Ansars, police, RAB and other law enforcers for peaceful celebration of the festival. Besides, voluntary groups are also performing duties at the puja pandals.

All Puja committees installed close circuit cameras and metal detectors at their mandaps.

Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad and Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee this year decided that the immersion of idols of Durga Puja would be done by 10 pm on the day of Bijoya Dashami across the country.

The organisations also urged organizers of Durga Puja across the country to keep the processions of Bijoya Dashami off from 12 noon to 2pm on the day coinciding with the Juma prayers.