A festive atmosphere has gripped Bangladesh, with the Hindu minority marking the end of Durga Puja with the immersion of idols today even as Muslims prepared to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha later this week.
The nation is virtually enjoying a weeklong holiday because of the two festivals and many people have left the capital to spend time with their families.
Thousands of Hindus joined colourful processions, beating drums and chanting mantras, as the five-day Durga Puja ended with the immersion of idols of goddess Durga in the Buri-Ganga in Dhaka and other rivers across the country.
The Bijoya Dashami holiday virtually marked the beginning of seven days of holidays as the Hindu festival came days ahead of Eid-ul-Azha, which will be celebrated on Wednesday.
The government has announced a three-day holiday for Eid that will end on Thursday, while Friday and Saturday are part of the routine weekend in Bangladesh.
The long break resulted in usually crowded Dhaka wearing a deserted look, as tens of thousands of people left the city to enjoy the vacation with their relatives in villages and towns. People jammed trains, buses and ferry boats to make the journey home.
