Hundreds of thousands unite in call for Palestine’s freedom in Cox’s Bazar Dashami rituals

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. But the struggle for humanity is eternal. At this moment, we pray for peace and freedom for the people of Palestine.” Council President Uday Shankar Paul said, “This year’s Durga Puja has ended peacefully and in a...