4 lakh devotees join Sholakia Eid Jamaat

The largest Eid-ul-Fitr jamaat (congregation) of the country was held on the historic Sholakia Eidgah Maidan this morning with participation of four lakh of devotees from home and abroad amid stringent security measures.

Eminent Islamic scholar Maulana Shoaib Bin Abdur Rab administered the Eid prayer at 10:00am that started following the custom of opening blank fire on Eid day.

Avoiding incessant rain, people joined the Eidgah in a joyous environment.

Sholakia Eidgah held its 195th Eid congregation this year. A special prayer was offered seeking peace, welfare, and prosperity for the mankind and the nation.

Police Super Md Mashrukur Rahman said, tight security arrangements were in place in the ground and surrounding areas.

The first Eid assembly in Sholakia was held in 1828 where 125,000 devotees were said to have said their prayers. The name Sholakia has been probably been derived from the first gathering which in Bengali sounds like `shoa-lakhia` or one-and-a-quarter lakhs.