Sholakia Eidgah holds 195th Eid jamaat
The Sholakia Eidgah in Kishoreganj has held its 195th Eid jamaat amid tight security with thousands of devotees joining it.
Hifzur Rahman Khan, imam of Markaj Masjid in Kishoreganj, led the congregation at 9:00 am and prayed for the well-being of the whole Muslim Ummah as well as all people around the world.
Earlier, the devotees entered the Eidgah grounds, passing through check-posts set up by the law enforcers. The number of devotees decreases during Eid-ul-Azha at Sholakia, due to engagement in the animal sacrifice.
A certain Idris Miya has been attending Eid prayer at Sholakia for the last 60 years.
While talking to Prothom Alo, the old man said he never misses offering Eid prayer at Sholakia. He could not join Eid jamaat during the pandemic, but heaved a sigh of relief after attending the prayers last Eid-ul-Fitr here.
The police and the district administration put the entire Eidgah grounds under tight security, considering the previous militant attacks. In addition to the policemen, members of Rapid Action Battalion (RAB), Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB), and detectives were deployed at the spot.
The entire ground was under the surveillance of CCTV cameras while the overall situation was monitored through drone cameras. Besides, emergency services, including firemen, ambulance and medical team, were kept standby.
Kishoreganj SP Mashrukur Rahman said they took extreme safety measures to ensure the overall safety, though the number of devotees was fewer this time. They left no loopholes in the safety net.
Deputy commissioner Shamim Alam said the devotees were asked to maintain health safety guidelines due to the recent surge in Covid-19 cases. Besides, two special trains were arranged to facilitate smooth movement of the devotees.
The Eidgah made its name as ‘Sholakia’ after around 125,000 people attended an Eid jamaat here in 1828. However, the Eid congregation could not be held here due to the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020 and 2021.
A militant attack was carried out near the Eidgah grounds during an Eid jamaat in 2016. However, the situation normalised before the pandemic.