Imtiaz Ahmed,  Narayanganj 

Langalbandh, located in Bandar Upazila of Narayanganj, has become vibrant with the presence of hundreds of thousands of Hindu devotees gathering for the Maha Ashtami holy dip in the Brahmaputra River. The area is buzzing with pilgrims from both home and abroad, as the annual sacred bath festival is underway on the banks of the ancient Brahmaputra.This year, the holy bathing began at 2:11 AM on Friday (April 4) and will continue until 12:30 AM on Saturday. As in previous years, a large number of devotees from India, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Bhutan, and various other countries have come to take part in this spiritual event.To ensure everything runs smoothly and safely, local police have implemented a three-tier security system. Due to the massive influx of visitors, traffic on the Dhaka-Chattogram highway has slowed down, with a 10-kilometer stretch experiencing heavy congestion since morning.Eyewitnesses reported that pilgrims crowded the three-kilometer stretch of ghats (bathing steps) along the river, arriving by road and boat to take the holy dip. Notable ghats where rituals are performed include Lalit Sadhu Ghat, Annapurna Temple Ghat, Nasim Osman Ghat, Gauranga Mahaprabhu Temple Rajghat, Kaliganj Ghat, Makri Sadhu’s Shanti Ashram Ghat, Mahatma Gandhi’s Cremation Ghat, Bhadreshwari Kali Temple Ghat, Joykali Temple Ghat, Rakshakali Temple Ghat, Pashankali Temple Ghat, Swami Digvijay Brahmachari Ashram, Char Sreerampur Brahmaghat, Dakshineshwar Kalibari Ghat, Meerkundi Paresh Sadhu Ghat, Sabdi Rakshakali Ghat, Tajpur-Jaharpur Muni Rishipara Ghat, and Loknath Brahmachari Ashram Ghat.At each ghat, priests chant mantras as devotees step into the river for the sacred bath. The temples of Langalbandh are alive with prayers, rituals, and devotional music. Volunteer groups are distributing food and refreshments like khichuri (a rice-lentil dish), milk, and water to the pilgrims. The entire Langalbandh area has taken on a festive atmosphere.Arpita Acharya, who came from Cumilla with her son and daughter-in-law, shared, We came here to take the holy dip together. We prayed to Lord Brahma to wash away our sins and bless our family with well-being.Officials confirmed that more than 1,500 police personnel, along with members of RAB, Ansar, and BGB, are deployed for security. Additionally, seven watchtowers and over 70 CCTV cameras have been installed. Seven medical camps and ten ambulances are on standby for emergency services.Fire service teams and other emergency service providers are also fully prepared throughout the festival. Volunteers are actively assisting pilgrims across 20 designated ghats.To accommodate the huge crowd, the district administration has upgraded the bathing facilities, installed tube wells for clean drinking water, built numerous changing rooms, and set up many temporary toilets. Water hyacinths in the river have been cleared to ensure a safe bathing experience. A CCTV surveillance system has been established along the entire three-kilometer stretch.Narayanganj Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Zahidul Islam Miah said, This year, the army is assisting us with security. Maps have been put up for the convenience of pilgrims. The entire festival is being celebrated in a joyful and peaceful manner.