A three-tier security arrangement has been placed ahead of the Sharidiya Durga Puja to ensure peaceful, safe and festive celebrations across the country.

Inspector General of Police (IGP) Md Ali Hossain Fakir said this in a meeting on law and order and security arrangements at Police Headquarters in the capital ahead of Durga Puja 2026, said a press release.

The IGP asked police officials to take adequate security measures to ensure that Durga Puja, the main religious festival of the Hindu community, is celebrated peacefully and in a festive atmosphere without any disruption.

The three-tier security measures will cover the pre-Puja period, festival time, idol immersion and post-Puja activities, the IGP said adding activities of police related to the festival had already begun.

Emphasising the importance of communal harmony, the IGP urged all concerned to remain vigilant so that no group or vested interest could disrupt social cohesion during the celebrations.

Everyone must remain alert and vigilant to ensure that no one can undermine communal harmony during the Durga Puja, he said.

The police chief has stressed on greater public engagement through community policing and beat policing initiatives.

He expressed hope that with collective efforts, Durga Puja would be celebrated safely and joyfully this year as in previous years.

At the meeting, police officials were instructed to take immediate action against those attempting to disturb communal harmony by spreading misinformation, propaganda, rumours or provocative images on social media.

Field-level police officers were asked to maintain regular communication with local people and representatives of different religious communities, as well as to conduct routine visits to Puja mandaps to oversee security arrangements and prevent untoward incidents.

Police said they remained alert to prevent any incident during the festival.

Puja organisers have been urged to contact the national emergency service at 999 or the nearest police station in case of any security concerns or potentially volatile situation.

The police also called on Puja committees to keep CCTV cameras operational, ensure adequate lighting at Puja mandaps and idol immersion sites, arrange standby generators and deploy volunteers at every mandap to maintain round-the-clock vigilance.

Uniformed and plainclothes police personnel will remain on duty throughout the celebrations. Specialised units, including SWAT, Crime Response Teams (CRT), Quick Response Teams (QRT), crime scene vans and bomb disposal units will also remain on standby to respond to any emergency.

Round-the-clock monitoring cells will be operated at Police Headquarters and other police units during the festival.

Representatives of Hindu religious and cultural organisations attending the meeting expressed satisfaction with the security measures and thanked the government and police administration.

Senior police officials, representatives of Hindu religious organisations, Puja committees and other stakeholders attended the meeting.

Metropolitan police commissioners, range deputy inspectors general and district police superintendents joined the meeting virtually.

According to the Police Headquarters, this year Durga Puja will be celebrated in 33,000 Puja mandaps across the country this year.