Staff Correspondent

Major General Abdul Motalib Sazzad Mahmud, Director General of the Bangladesh Ansar and Village Defence Party (VDP), praised the responsible and coordinated role played by force members in maintaining security, communal harmony, and operational readiness during Sharadiya Durga Puja.

The Ansar Director General made the remarks on Tuesday during a security inspection at Dhakeshwari National Temple in the capital, hosted by the Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee.

During the visit, leadership from the Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee welcomed the Director General with floral bouquets and a traditional stole, while the Ansar and VDP delegation presented festive greetings and gifts to the committee. Temple leaders commended Ansar and VDP personnel deployed across puja mandaps nationwide for their dedication.

A one-minute silence was observed to honor three Ansar-VDP personnel who died while on duty during the Durga Puja deployment: TDP member Limon Sheikh, 22, from Kurigram; VDP member Parveen, 46, from Gaibandha; and Firoz Khan from Tangail. Pay tribute to their sacrifice, Major General Sazzad Mahmud highlighted the courage and duty displayed by force members.

Addressing representatives at the venue, the Director General noted that under the direction of the Prime Minister and leadership of the Home Minister, coordinated security efforts across law enforcement agencies have strengthened public safety, trust, and community engagement—establishing a framework that will prove vital during upcoming major national events and general elections.

He highlighted the force's grassroots structure and tech-enabled security monitoring through the "Sharadiya Suraksha App," while also emphasizing the "Sanjiban Project" designed to enhance the socio-economic wellbeing and operational capacity of grassroots volunteer VDP and upazila-level Ansar personnel.

In view of the upcoming idol immersion ceremonies, Major General Sazzad Mahmud issued directives instructing personnel to exercise heightened vigilance, maintain public order, and ensure the safety of women, children, and elderly worshippers at immersion sites nationwide.