Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations are underway with joy and religious devotion in the northern regions of Dinajpur, Thakurgaon, and Panchagarh. One of the most significant gatherings took place at Dinajpur’s Gor-e-Shaheed Maidan led by Maulana Matiur Rahman Qasemi, the head of the Dinajpur District Imam Association, around 9:00 am. The event saw a diverse crowd, including politicians, officials, and professionals, coming together for the Eid prayers. Dinajpur-3 lawmaker Jahangir Alam and Dinajpur Deputy Commissioner Rafiqul Islam addressed the attendees, sharing messages of unity and extending Eid greetings.
During the prayers, supplications were made for the welfare of the nation, global peace, relief for Muslims in the Middle East crisis, and in remembrance of the martyrs of the Liberation War and the 2024 mass uprising. The locals highlighted that Eid congregations at the ground have been a tradition predating 2017, but the attendance surged notably following the construction of a Mughal-style minaret that year. The minaret, standing at 516 feet in length, features a 55-foot high prayer niche, 52 domes, two 60-foot high minarets at the ends, a 50-foot high minaret in the middle, and two 47-foot high prayer niches on each side, along with 32 arches adorned with electric lights on each dome.
Inspired by Mughal-era architectural designs seen in Masjid al-Nabawi, Kuwait, and Indonesia, the minaret was built at a cost of approximately Tk 4 crore. The Gore-e-Shaheed Boro Maidan, sprawling over 22 acres and lush with greenery, has been a vibrant community center hosting various activities like sports, social gatherings, and cultural events. Attendees like 55-year-old Samir Uddin from Nilphamari expressed their delight in participating in prayers amidst a large crowd in such a vast field, finding a sense of inner peace.
Lokman Ali from Pirganj shared that the presence of the minaret added to the charm, motivating him to travel with friends to join the Eid congregation. In Thakurgaon, the primary Eid gathering took place at Baramath of Thakurgaon Government Boys’ High School at 8:30 am, while in Panchagarh, the central Eidgah hosted the main prayers at Ramerdanga. State Minister for Water Resources Farhad Hossain Azad partook in prayers at his hometown Menagram Eidgah in Boda upazila, emphasizing the importance of carrying the lessons of fasting forward throughout the year by actively serving the community and restraining greed.