KISHOREGANJ, Apr 8: All necessary preparations to hold Eid-ul-Fitr at Sholakia Eidgah in the district has been completed.
Deputy Commissioner (DC) Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad, president of the executive committee of Sholakia Eidgah, said, all necessary arrangements have been made for holding the 197th congregation of Eid-ul-Fiter at the historic Eidgah, maintaining a long tradition.
Muslims from abroad and from almost all parts of the country reach the district town two/three days ahead of the Eid to attend the congregation, he added.
DC further said, adequate arrangements have also been taken to ensure sanitation and water supply for devotees.
Superintendent of Police Mohammad Russel Sheih PPM (Bar) said, different intelligence agencies, RAB and additional police will be deployed for extra security in Eid Jamaat.
Besides, the entire ground will be monitored by the drone to ensure overall safety of the field, he added.
Chairman of Islahul Muslimeen Council and Secretary General of Jamaat-e-Ulema Maulana Md Fariduddin Masud is scheduled to conduct the Eid Jamaat this year. A special Munajat will also be offered seeking divine blessings for peace, development and welfare of the people of the country as well as Muslim Ummah.
Eidgah Steering Committee, local municipality, different government organizations and district administration will jointly organize the jamaat.
The number of devotees is increasing every year to attend the Eid congregation at the largest Eidgah of the subcontinent. Over three lakh devotees come here to offer their Eid prayers every year.
A huge number of devotees from across the world including Saudi Arabia, Turkey, India, Pakistan and England, will attend the Eid prayers. Channel I will cover the Eid congregation live.
The first Eid congregation on this ground was held in 1828 when a local Dewan, called Syed Ahmed (R) of Haibatnagar Dewan Bari of the town, conducted Eid Jamaat on one of the fields of his own Taluk (revenue zone). This later on became known in history as the Sholakia Eidgah.
The name Sholakia comes from Shoa Lakh, meaning one lakh twenty-five thousand being the number of people that had come to offer their Eid-ul-Fiter prayers at the Eidgah at the first time.
The surrounding area was also named Sholakia afterwards. Later on, another Dewan Mannan Dad Khan, gave 4.35 acres of land for the Eidgah in 1950. But according to sources, the Sholakia Eidgah now has about 7 acres of land.
The Eidgah stands on the bank of the Narsunda River and is known throughout the continent for the large number of devotees who come here every year for performing their Eid prayer.
There are about 265 rows, each of which can accommodate 500 devotees at the Eidgah. So, the entire field can accommodate some 1,32,500 devotees. More than three lakh devotees offer their prayers using the nearby roads, open space and courtyards of surrounding houses.
Sholakia Eidgah has an executive committee of 51 members with the DC being its ex-officio president.
Two special trains will operate on Bhairab-Kishoreganj and Kishoreganj-Mymensingh routes to facilitate the movement of Sholakia-bound Muslim devotees.
Three sets of gunshots will give the countdown to the start of the prayer. A shotgun will be fired thrice five minutes before the start, twice before three minutes and once at the start of the prayer.
