Md. Kamruzzaman Khan Picklu, Bagerhat:
Coronary infections have increased across the country, the organizing authority said.
As a result, this year’s Chaitra Purnima fair is no longer being held at the shrine premises, said Fakir Sher Ali, the chief attendant of Khanjahan’s shrine.
Fans and local traders have expressed frustration over the postponement of the long-running fair. This year the fair was to be held from 26th to 31st March.
Obaidul Islam, a small trader adjacent to the shrine, said, “Throughout the year, we make a living by selling various food items including children’s toys, candles, incense sticks and tajis.”
With the income that comes from buying and selling throughout the year, I live on a kind of stomach by eating rice. Throughout the year we wait for the fair. Because a lot of people come from all over the country to this four-day fair. With the income we have at this time, we also save the cost of reading and writing for the child. But this year the fair was postponed and we lost a lot.
Several traders, including trader Sheikh Mohammad Ali, said, “On the occasion of the fair, we traders borrowed and bought a lot of goods.” We are extremely worried about the sudden postponement of the fair. I don’t know what to do now, how to pay the installment. They demanded the implementation of the fair in compliance with the hygiene rules.
Locals, on the other hand, said there was no reason to close the fair suddenly. Various meetings and rallies including fairs are going on in different areas. What is the benefit of just postponing the fair.
Fakir Sher Ali, Chief Custodian of Khanjahan (Rah) Shrine, said, “I have been organizing four days long religious festivals, Oraj, Milad Mahfil and Mela at the shrine of Khanjahan Ali (Rah) for more than five hundred and fifty years. Millions of visitors come to this fair from different parts of the country. But this time we are not able to do the fair because of Corona. If the situation in Corona is normal, the festival will be organized here again as usual. I pray to God for the release of Corona. In this situation, he also discouraged the devotees who come to the shrine from all over the country on the occasion of religious gatherings.
Deputy Commissioner(DC) of Bagerhat ANM Faizul Haque said religious festivals and fairs are not being held near the shrine on Chaitra Purnima due to the recent increase in corona infection. ” If the situation is normal, religious festivals and fairs will be held again next year,” he said.
