The farewell to Durga Puja has carried a different emotion this year in Cox’s Bazar, as prayers for the freedom of Palestine mingled with the chants of immersion on the sandy beach. On Thursday, during Bijoya Dashami, crowds numbering in the hundreds of thousands gathered on the shore to witness the immersion, where voices of solidarity with Palestine rang out. Standing on the main stage, Arup Sharma, a leader of the District Puja Celebration Council, said: “Today we bid farewell to Goddess Durga. Still, by afternoon, despite drizzle, the beach teemed with hundreds of thousands taking part in the rituals. According to the District Puja Celebration Council, Durga Puja was observed at 317 pavilions across Cox’s Bazar this year.
