Bagerhat: The Shait Gumbuz Mosque (Sixty Dome Mosque) complex in the district is bustling with the overwhelming presence of local and foreign tourists and general visitors amid the week-long Eid-ul-Fitr vacation. The district has welcomed the highest number of visitors in three days of Eid vacation this year, breaking all records in the past several years.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, thousands of people from greater Khulna, Satkhira, Jashore, Jhenaidah, Kushtia, Pirojpur, Barishal, Patuakhali, Dhaka, Chittagong, and other parts of the country are flocking with their families to the historical heritage site Shat Gombuj Mosque and its adjoining amusement spots to celebrate the Eid holidays.
A significant number of tourists were observed visiting Ghoradighi and the Shait Gumbuz Mosque, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, where copper coins from the mint of the great Saint Hazrat Khanjahan Ali, clay utensils, and religious documents are displayed in rows inside the museum. The special attraction of the museum is the mummified Kalapahar crocodile from Khanjahan Ali Dighi and various memorials, maps, and recorded history. The Shait Gumbuz Mosque Museum is also rich in a collection of many valuable items recovered during the excavation of Khanjahan’s residence.
Sabina Yasmin, who came to the Shait Gumbuz Mosque campus from Jashore with her school students, was seen taking photos in a cheerful manner with her students. ‘Coming here has been very worthwhile. It’s a great pleasure to know the country’s history and tradition by visiting the historical spots in person instead of only reading in books,’ Sabina said, adding that it helps enrich knowledge and flourish talents.
Haji Mizan, who came from Dhaka, expressed his satisfaction after offering prayers at the mosque. ‘After offering prayers here inside the Shait Gumbuz mosque, it feels like an absolute divine inspiration, which fills the aching mind with peace,’ he added. Like Sabina and Mizan, many visitors were observed very impressed by witnessing the extraordinary scenes decorated with aesthetic craftsmanship. Many considered themselves very fortunate to be able to offer prayers, including Fazr prayers in congregations.
Besides, the visitors were observed enjoying local foods, especially popularly known as white gold or Bagda shrimp. Custodian of the Shait Gumbuz Mosque Museum Mohammad Zayed said 20,400 visitors thronged the Shait Gumbuj Mosque compound in three days of the Eid holidays, breaking all previous records. He also said 25 visitors from several countries, including Germany, England, and Japan, visited the museum. All the officials of the museum are working tirelessly to welcome and assist the visitors, Zayed said, adding that they deployed an adequate number of security guards on the compound.
In-charge of the museum’s publications department Farzan Parvin Mita said that they sold tickets worth taka 2.09 lakh only on the day of Eid-ul-Fitr. Bagerhat Deputy Commissioner Ahmed Kamrul Hasan said that the administration and law enforcement agencies remain aware of the safety and security of the tourists. Everyone is very sincere about the tourists, he added.