Dinajpur: Thousands of devotees gathered this morning at the historic Gor-e-Shaheed Maidan in Dinajpur to offer Eid-ul-Fitr prayers held at 9:00am. Recognized as the largest Eidgah in South Asia, the venue drew devotees from across the country, including districts such as Kishoreganj, Bagerhat, Nilphamari, Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Dhaka, and Gazipur. However, attendance was slightly lower this year due to inclement weather the previous night.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, devotees began arriving at the Eidgah from as early as 6:00am, creating a steady influx of attendees ahead of the main congregation. The prayers were led by Maulana Matiur Rahman Qasemi, President of the National Imam Association, Dinajpur. Following the prayers, special munajat and doa were offered seeking peace, prosperity, and well-being for the country, the nation, the Middle East, and the global Muslim Ummah. Prayers were also offered for the martyrs and injured of the 1971 Liberation War and recent national events.
Among those present were lawmaker Syed Jahangir Alam, District Judge Md. Alamgir Hossain, Deputy Commissioner Md. Rafiqul Islam, and Superintendent of Police Md. Jeddan Al Musa, along with other political and social leaders. Abdus Sattar, 63, a cold storage manager from Rangpur who traveled from Nilphamari, said he has offered Eid prayers at the ground seven times, including this year. He described the experience of praying alongside such a vast congregation in the expansive field as 'beyond words.'
The historic Gor-e-Shaheed Ground and its Eidgah Minar span approximately 21.99 acres. While Eid congregations have been held at the site since 1947, large-scale modern arrangements for prayers began in 2017.