Sholakia prays for Gaza

Over 300,000 Muslim devotees who attended the Eid-ul-Fitr congregations at Sholakia, the nation’s largest Eidgah, prayed for an end to Israeli genocide in Gaza and peace and prosperity for fellow Muslims across the world.

The 187th Eid congregation of Sholakia was conducted by Maolana Farid Uddin Masud at 10am on Tuesday.

Politicians, bureaucrats, professionals and people from all walks of life attended the prayers. They began gathering on the banks of the Narasunda river an hour before the prayers. At one point, traffic was closed around the region.

The traditional three shots were fired from a shotgun, marking the beginning of the prayers.

The seven-acre ground was unable to accommodate the entire crowd, and many said their prayers outside.

The railway arranged two special trains for people coming from across the country to attend the prayers.

The local administration tightened security around the grounds. RAB, APBn and other law enforcement agencies were on watch at the grounds and surrounding areas.

The 28 entrances to the grounds were fitted with metal detectors. Law enforcement personnel were posted on watch towers and closed circuit cameras monitored everything. Scout members volunteered to control the crowd.

Having established his fiefdom, Dewan Hazrat Khan Bahadur, the sixth descendant of Isha Khan, built the Sholakia Eidgah in 1828 on the bank of the Narasunda river.

According to local researchers, the first Eid prayers were attended by about 125,000 devotees. The Eidgah got its name from Shoa Lakhi Math (Shoa Lakh meaning 125,000), whose pronunciation gradually evolved into Sholakia.

The grounds have 265 rows, each having room for over 500 people. However, as people who outside the ground also take part in the prayers, the congregation usually exceeds 250,000 to 300,000 people.

Imam Lutfur Rahman Golap of the Sholakia Math Jama Mosque said people come to Sholakia to attend Eid prayers from all over the country because they believe prayers made at such a large congregation are granted by Allah.