Bangla PM Muhammad Yunus Asks Durga Puja Organizers to Maintain Silence During Azan and Namaz

Bangladesh’s new interim government, led by Muhammad Yunus, has urged the Hindu community to refrain from playing musical instruments during Durga Puja celebrations during the Muslim call to prayer (azan) and namaz. Home Affairs Adviser Lt. General (retired) Md Jahangir Alam Chowdhury said that puja committees have agreed to the request, which is aimed at maintaining harmony. Speaking after a law and order review, Chowdhury confirmed that 32,666 puja pandals will be set up this year, a slight decrease from the previous year.

This directive comes in the wake of recent attacks on the Hindu minority after protests erupted over quotas for descendants of freedom fighters. Concerns about the safety of religious minorities have risen, but Chowdhury assured that security measures will be in place to protect puja celebrations.

In another move causing concern in India, Yunus’s government banned the export of hilsa fish to India, a staple in West Bengal during Durga Puja. The ban has led to soaring prices and a shortage of the fish, breaking with the long-standing tradition of goodwill upheld by former Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina. These decisions have raised questions about the interim regime’s policies toward both minorities and neighboring countries.