Country’s largest Eid congregation held at Sholakia

The country’s largest congregation of Eid-ul-Azha was held on the historic Sholakia Eidgah Maidan in Kishoreganj this morning with participation of thousands of devotees amid tight security measures.

Maulana Mufti Hifzur Rahman Khan administered the Eid prayers in the morning following the custom of opening blank fire on the Eid day, reports our Kishoreganj correspondent.

Sholakia Eidgah held its 192nd Eid congregation this year. A special munajat was offered seeking divine blessings for peace, development and welfare of the people of the country as well as the Muslim Ummah.

On July 7, 2016 -- Eid day -- at least four people, including two policemen, were killed and 12 others were injured in a militant attack on a temporary police check-post near Sholakia Eidgah.

Local administration took security measures with deployment of huge Rapid Action Battalion (Rab) members and policemen. None of the devotees were allowed to enter the ground without search in a bid to prevent occurrence of any untoward incident.

Closed Circuit Camera Televisions (CCTVs) and eight watch towers have been set up at each of the entry points of Kishoreganj town and the Sholakia Eidgah to ensure foolproof security.

The first Eid jamaat was held on this ground in 1828. Maulana Sayeed Ahmed of Bowlai Shaheb Bari in Kishoreganj was the first Imam to conduct the Eid jamaat attended by about 125,000 devotees, according to BSS report.

Later, Mannan Dad Khan, former Dewan of Haibatnagar in Kishoreganj offered 4.35 acres of land through Wakf deed in 1950 and now the Eidgah has seven acres of land.

This Eidgah is situated on the northern bank of the Norsunda River.