Janmashtami procession to be held on Friday
Guests are addressing a press conference organized by the Central Committee of the Sri Sri Janmashtami Parishad Bangladesh on the auspicious occasion of the advent of Lord Sri Krishna, the Yugavatar (Incarnation of the Age). Photo: Agamir Somoy.
On the occasion of the auspicious Janmashtami of Lord Sri Krishna, a grand procession will be taken out in Chattogram on Friday (September 4). To mark the occasion, a four-day colorful program will be held at the historic J.M. Sen Hall premises until September 7.
This information was shared in a written statement during a press conference held on Wednesday (September 2) at the office of the Sri Sri Janmashtami Celebration Council Bangladesh Central Committee, located in Rahmatganj in the city. The statement was given by the council's Central General Secretary, Lion R. K. Dash Rupu.
He informed that the grand procession will start from the Andarkilla intersection at 10:00 am on Friday (September 4). The procession will then proceed through Lal Dighi, Kotwali, New Market, Brothers, D.C. Hill, and Cheragi Pahar before concluding at J.M. Sen Hall.
The ceremonial lamp (Mangal Pradip) will be lit by Maharaj Shrimat Swami Sachchidananda Puri Maharaj, the Mohanta of Banshkhali Rishidham and Tulsi Dham. The procession will be inaugurated by the Deputy Minister for Land and Hill Affairs, Barrister Mir Mohammad Helal Uddin.
The chief guest will be the acting Secretary General of BNP, Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi. Special guests will include MP for Chattogram-10 constituency, Sayeed Al Noman, and CMP Commissioner Hasan Md. Shaukat Ali.
In addition, the four-day event will also feature a mothers' conference, religious gatherings, and a 16-hour-long continuous chanting of the Holy Name (Nam Sankirtan) as key attractions. During various segments of the programs, Finance and Planning Minister Amir Khasru Mahmud Chowdhury, City Mayor Dr. Shahadat Hossain, MP and freedom fighter Fazlur Rahman, and MP Ershad Ullah will be present.
At the press conference, the council put forward a 15-point demand, including ensuring security for Hindus, enacting a law for the protection of ethnic minorities and forming a minority commission, repealing discriminatory laws, establishing a separate ministry, ensuring justice for communal violence, withdrawing false cases, and declaring a three-day government holiday during Durga Puja.
Present at the press conference were the Central Committee President of the Janmashtami Celebration Council, Advocate Chandon Talukdar; Senior Vice Presidents Lion Tapan Kanti Dash, Engineer Ashutosh Dash, Professor Arpan Kanti Banerjee, Bidalal Shil, and Babul Ghosh Babun; Executive General Secretary Biplab De Partha; Joint Secretary Subhash Guha; and committee members Ratan Acharya, Ujjwal Baran Biswas, Jewel Chakraborty, S. Prakash Pal, Dipti Dash, and Rashel Chowdhury, among others.
