The Hindus worship 'Shakti' or divine power embodied in devi (goddess) Durga.

The puja will begin with Bodhon ritual and Mahashashthi puja on Thursday morning and the 'adhibash' of Durga will be held in puja mandaps in the evening on the same day.

The Mahasaptami will be held on Friday, Maha Astami on Saturday, Mahanabami on Sunday and Bijoya Dashami on Monday.

At a meeting with the representatives of the Hindus at the Dhaka City Corporation office yesterday, Mayor Sadeque Hossain Khoka said special measures have been taken for ensuring smooth power and water supply while additional traffic police will be deployed at the streets adjacent to the puja mandaps during the five-day celebrations.

Special security has been arranged for puja mandaps across the country for peaceful celebration of the September 28-October 2 festival, State Minister for Home Affairs Lutfozzaman Babar said at the meeting.

Leaders of Bangladesh Hindu-Bouddha-Christian Oikya Parishad, Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad, Mahanagar Sarbajaneen Puja Committee demanded allocation of more budget for the puja.

Religious affairs ministry allocates only Tk 200 to 300 per puja mandap but the expenditure for a puja mandap ranges from Tk 1 lakh to 10 lakh, said Jayanta Sen Dipu, president of Mohanagar Sarbajaneen Puja Committee.

The main puja mandap in the capital is at Dhakeshwari National Temple. Large puja mandaps have also been put up at Jagannath Hall of Dhaka University, Ramkrishna Mission, Ramna Kali Mandir, Siddheswari Kali Mandir, Tanti Bazar, Shankhari Bazar, Bangla Bazar, Mohakhali and Farmgate.

Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad said around 19,000 puja mandaps have been put up in the country including 156 in the capital.

Official sources, however, put the number of puja mandaps at 26,000.