The main chapter of Durga Puja, the biggest annual festival for Bengali Hindus, has kicked off amid the beats of drums, conch shells, and bells in Bangladesh. The Shashthi Puja rituals began with the setting of a water-filled pot beneath a bel tree at 9:10am on Wednesday.

Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, has begun at temples and makeshift mandaps across the country amid due religious fervour and

Bangladesh is celebrating Durga Puja from October 9-13 and has extended general holidays in the wake of the festival. However, unprecedented violence against Hindus after Sheikh Hasina's ouster and threats by radical Islamic groups has cast a shadow over the celebrations.

The notice from the Ministry of Public Administration says that a general holiday has been declared across the country on Thursday, Oct 10 by executive order on the occasion of the upcoming Durga Puja. All public, semi-public, autonomous, semi-autonomous, and private offices are to remain closed during public holidays.

Bangladesh extended Durga Puja holidays to four days, responding to the Hindu community's demands following attacks after Sheikh Hasina's resignation.

The Hindus in Bangladesh will celebrate Durga Puja in a subdued manner this year to register their protest against attacks on the community following Sheikh Hasina's ouster, according to minority leaders.

More than 600 people, including Hindus, were killed during violent protests in Bangladesh culminating in the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government, according to a UN report.

Bangladesh government has announced the addition of holidays for Durga Pooja, and the residents of Dhaka are optimistic about the celebrations

The statement from the US comes in the wake of increasing attacks on the minority Hindu community in Bangladesh following the resignation of then Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her escape to India in August.