The historic Sholakia Eidgah in Kishoreganj witnessed an unprecedented congregation of about 600,000 worshippers for its 198th Eid-ul-Fitr prayer, held peacefully amid tight security measures on Monday.
The congregation, which took place at 10am, was led by Mufti Abul Khayer Mohammad Saifullah.
"For the largest Eid congregation in recent memory, approximately 600,000 worshippers performed their prayers," said the president of the Sholakia Eidgah Management Committee.
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 July mass 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 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.