Lakhs of devotees offer Eid prayer in Kishoreganj's Sholakia ground
The historic Sholakia ground in Kishoreganj witnessed an unprecedented congregation of lakhs of worshippers for the 198th Eid-ul-Fitr prayer, held peacefully amid tight security measures today (31 March).
The congregation, which took place at 10 am, was led by Mufti Abul Khayer Mohammad Saifullah.
"For the largest Eid congregation in recent memory, approximately 600,000 worshippers performed their prayers," said President of the Sholakia Eidgah Management Committee.
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Following the prayer, special prayers were offered for the martyrs of significant historical events, including the 1952 Language Movement, the 1971 Liberation War, and the 2024 People's Uprising. Additionally, a prayer was made for the martyrs of Gaza in Palestine and for the oppressed Muslim Ummah worldwide.
As favourable weather conditions prevailed, a large crowd gathered, stretching across several kilometres around Sholakia Field. In keeping with tradition, three gunshots were fired before the prayer to signal the beginning of the ceremony, ensuring that all preparations were in place.
The congregation saw the participation of a wide array of dignitaries, including Kishoreganj's Additional District Commissioner, Mejazabe Rahmat, Superintendent of Police Hasan Chowdhury, and various administrative officials, as well as numerous politicians. According to the Sholakia Eidgah Management Committee and the Kishoreganj District Administration, this year's gathering was the largest Eid congregation in recent memory, with an estimated 600,000 worshippers offering their prayers.
To ensure safety and manage the large number of attendees, an extraordinary five-tier security system was put in place for the event. Personnel from the BGB, RAB, police, and Ansar forces were deployed throughout the area, and worshippers underwent security checks with metal detectors before entering the grounds. For the first time, the security duties were entrusted to the army.
The arrival of devotees began early in the morning, with people flocking to the Sholakia Eidgah, located on the eastern edge of the district town near the Norosunda River. Traffic in the surrounding areas was halted for several hours to accommodate the immense influx of people.
Additionally, to facilitate the participation of worshippers from far-off places, two special trains, dubbed the 'Sholakia Special,' were arranged. One train departed from Mymensingh at 5:45 am, and another left Bhairab at 6 am, both carrying thousands of worshippers to the Sholakia grounds.
The establishment of the Sholakia Eidgah dates back to 1828, when Dewan Haybat Khan Bahadur, the sixth descendant of Munsid-i-Ala Isha Khan, founded it along the banks of the Norosunda River, covering an area of approximately seven acres. Local lore has it that during one Eid congregation, more than 1.25
lakh worshippers gathered at Sholakia for prayer, which led to the field being named 'Sowa Lakhia,' now known as Sholakia. Today, the field, covering almost seven acres, consists of 265 rows for the worshippers.
