Hindus celebrate Janmashtami across Bangladesh

Hindus across Bangladesh are celebrating Janmashtami, one of their major religious festivals, today (4 September) with various religious programmes marking the birth of Lord Krishna.

According to Hindu belief, Lord Krishna appeared on the eighth day of the dark fortnight of the Bengali month of Bhadra, around 5,500 years ago, in the prison of the tyrannical King Kansa. Devotees believe Krishna appeared to protect the righteous, punish evil, and establish truth and justice.

President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir and Prime Minister Tarique Rahman have separately greeted the Hindu community and the people of Bangladesh on the occasion.

The day is being observed as a public holiday.

Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar, and various private satellite television channels are airing special programmes, while newspapers are publishing special articles on the occasion.

Religious programmes, including processions, Gita Yajnas, kirtans, aratis, prasad distribution, and discussions, have been organised at temples, monasteries, and puja venues across the country, including Dhaka.

In the capital, the Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee is organising a two-day central Janmashtami festival at the Dhakeshwari National Temple premises.

The day's programme will begin at 8am with a Gita Yajna seeking the welfare of the country and its people, conducted by Shankar Math and Mission of Sitakunda, Chattogram.

A central Janmashtami procession will begin at 3pm from the Palashi intersection near Dhakeshwari Temple. Home Minister Salahuddin Ahmed will inaugurate the procession, which will end at Bahadur Shah Park in Old Dhaka.

A puja for Lord Krishna will be held at night. The second and final day of the festival will feature a discussion at the Dhakeshwari National Temple premises at 3pm tomorrow (5 September), with Culture Minister Nitai Roy Chowdhury attending as the chief guest.

The two-day programme will conclude with an award distribution ceremony.

Meanwhile, the International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) has organised a Janmashtami Mahotsav at its Swamibagh Ashram. The programme includes a discussion session as well as distribution of clothes and food among poor and distressed people.

Various other religious institutions and organisations in the capital, including Ramna Kali Temple and Ma Anandamoyee Ashram, Bardeshwari Kalimata Temple and Crematorium in Rajarbagh, Mirpur Central Temple, Swami Bholananda Giri Ashram, Prabhu Jagadbandhu Mahaprakash Math, Thataribazar Shiv Temple, Radhamadhab Jiu Deb Bigraha Temple, Radhagobinda Jiu Thakur Temple, Shiv Temple, Ram-Sita Temple, and Madhab Gaudiya Math, are also observing the festival with separate programmes.

Separate statements greeting the Hindu community on Janmashtami were issued by leaders of the Bangladesh Hindu Buddhist Christian Unity Council, Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad and Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee, among others.