Staff Correspondent

 A total of 2,12,818 Bangladesh Ansar and VDP members are being deployed to secure 33,165 puja mandaps across the country for the upcoming Sharadiya Durga Puja.

The forces will remain on duty for eight consecutive days from October 15 to October 22 to maintain law and order and ensure peace at the mandaps.

 Besides, 104 striking teams will conduct patrol operations nationwide to respond rapidly to any untoward situations and reinforce overall security measures.

Under the directives of Ansar and VDP Director General Major General Abdul Motaleb Sazzad Mahmud, briefing parades featuring deployed Ansar-VDP members were organized in various districts and upazilas on Thursday to prepare personnel for duty. Directives regarding security protocols, professional duties, vigilance, discipline, and code of conduct were delivered during the parades.

Local administration officials, senior Ansar-VDP officers, and representatives of other law enforcement agencies attended the briefing parades held in different districts and upazilas. The briefings emphasized maintaining overall security at puja mandaps, keeping the law and order situation normal, and taking prompt coordinated action in response to emergencies.

Deployed personnel were instructed to execute their duties with utmost alertness, dedication, and professionalism while maintaining smooth coordination with local puja celebration committees, civil administration, and fellow law enforcement agencies.

To render security operations more dynamic and technology-driven, personnel were trained to utilize the 'Sharadiya Suraksha App'—an integrated digital security platform—for real-time information sharing and situation monitoring. Operating as end-users, members were instructed to upload photos, videos, and information regarding provokings, rumors, disinformation, or untoward occurrences to instantly notify relevant authorities.

Personnel were also directed to remain vigilant against rumors and misleading information, build public awareness, and foster communal harmony.

They were cautioned against negligence or illegal conduct while on duty. Additionally, force members were informed that their official duty allowances would be directly transferred to their mobile banking accounts via STDMS software.

With countrywide member deployment, striking team patrols, and technology-driven surveillance, the Bangladesh Ansar and VDP expressed its firm commitment to ensuring a peaceful and festive Durga Puja in coordination with the administration and law enforcement agencies.