The largest Eid-ul-Fitr congregation in recent history was held at Sholakia in Kishoreganj. With splendid sunny weather, devotees began arriving at the Sholakia Eidgah from early morning.
This year marked the 198th Eid-ul-Fitr congregation at one of the largest and oldest Eidgahs in the subcontinent.
The prayer started at 10 AM. After 15 years, the Imam for this year’s Eid prayer was Mufti AKM Saifullah, the Khatib of Kishoreganj's Bara Bazar Jame Masjid.
As per tradition at Sholakia Eidgah, the congregation was announced with the firing of a shotgun.
Kishoreganj’s Superintendent of Police (SP), Mohammad Hassan Chowdhury, fired the shotgun to announce the start of the prayer.
Devotees started arriving in groups from the early morning. By 9 AM, the Sholakia ground was fully packed. Even then, more people continued to arrive, filling the surrounding roads, bridges, rooftops of buildings, and alleys.
It is estimated that around six lakh people performed the Eid prayer at Sholakia this year.
After the prayer, a special prayer was offered for the peace, prosperity, and development of the country and the Muslim Ummah.
As usual, people from different parts of the country gathered at Sholakia for the occasion. Devotees from distant areas usually arrive a few days before Eid, and the administration makes arrangements for their accommodation and food at three locations in the city.
In order to ensure a peaceful environment for the Eid congregation, the administration had set up strict security measures in advance. Multiple layers of security were arranged at the Sholakia Eidgah, including the deployment of drone cameras, binoculars, and personnel from the Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), police, and other intelligence agencies. Six watch towers and CCTV cameras were used to monitor the entire field. The army was also assigned special security duties. Ambulance and medical teams, along with two units of the Fire Service, were on standby. NCC and Scouts members served as volunteers.
For the convenience of distant devotees, special train services were arranged on Eid day from Mymensingh to Kishoreganj and from Bhairab to Kishoreganj.
Bd-pratidin English/ Afia
