Ratha Yatra, the festival of chariot of Sri Jagannath Dev, one of the major festivals of the Hindu community, will begin today.

The festival will come to an end with Ulto Ratha Yatra (reverse journey) on July 3, reports BSS.

Religious organisations and temple committees have drawn up various programmes to observe the festival. The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKON) will organise a nine-day programme in the capital.

As in previous years, the country's largest Ratha Yatra festival will be held in Dhaka's Dhamrai upazila.

The programmes of the festival begin in the morning with rendering of Harisangkirtan, holding Agnihotra Jagna seeking world peace and people's welfare, recitation of verses from Srimad Bhagabat Geeta, distribution of Mahaprasad, discussion, rendition of padabali kirtan and arati, cultural function, staging of religious drama and screening of religious films.

The programmes of the ISKON in Swamibag start with holding of Agnihotra Jagna. At noon, a discussion will be organised on the ISKON premises.

In the afternoon, a colourful procession will be brought out from Swamibagh, setting photographs of Sri Jagannath Dev, his brother Sri Balaram and sister Srimati Subhadra on three large chariots.

Meanwhile, Hindu community leaders at a press conference in the capital's Dhakeshwari Temple yesterday said a smear campaign was launched on social media over use of loudspeakers and distribution of prasad (a religious offering of food).

Leaders of Mahanagar Sarbajanin Puja Committee and Bangladesh Puja Udjapan Parishad said although the administration didn't impose any ban on use of loudspeakers and distribution of prasad during procession, some people in Facebook were creating confusion among people over the issue.

Tapash Kumar Pal, general secretary of Puja Udjapan Parishad, said the administration didn't impose any ban on using loudspeakers, rather it requested Hindu community leaders not to use “PA Set” (huge loudspeakers) for the sake of public security.

The leaders also said they would not throw prasad during processions, rather prasad would be distributed hand to hand.