Holy Ashura, commemorating the martyrdom of Imam Hussain (RA) and the tragedy of Karbala, will be observed across Bangladesh today with prayer sessions, religious processions, and mourning gatherings.
The observance recalls the events of 680 AD in the desert of Karbala in present-day Iraq, where Imam Hussain (RA), the beloved grandson of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), refused to pledge allegiance to the ruler Yazid ibn Mu’awiya and took a stand against injustice.
Imam Hussain (RA), along with his family and a small group of companions, was besieged on the banks of the Euphrates River.
According to Islamic tradition, even water was denied to the camp, including women and children. On the 10th day of Muharram, he and his companions were martyred.
For Muslims around the world, Ashura is not only a day of mourning but also a symbol of sacrifice, resistance to injustice and steadfastness in upholding truth and principles.
In Bangladesh, the day is a government holiday. However, as it falls on a weekly holiday this year, employees will not receive an additional day off.
Various Muharram programmes are held in Old Dhaka, Mohammadpur and Mirpur, but the largest gathering traditionally centres around Hussaini Dalan in Old Dhaka.
From there, the historic Tazia procession begins, featuring Duldul, Panja Alam and Jari Tazia, followed by thousands of mourners and participants.
Some join to express grief, some to remember history, and others to connect themselves with the spirit of Karbala.
As dawn breaks on Ashura, the narrow lanes of Old Dhaka are often filled with an atmosphere of mourning. Black and red-green flags, chest-beating rituals and the mournful chants of “Hai Hasan, Hai Hossain” evoke centuries of remembrance.
Bangladesh’s Ashura observance is also closely linked to the history of Dhaka itself.
After Subadar Islam Khan Chishti declared Dhaka the capital of Mughal Bengal in 1610, the city gradually developed into an administrative and cultural centre, and Muharram observances became part of its religious tradition.
In 1642, during the Mughal period, Mir Murad, chief of the navy under Shah Shuja, built the Hussaini Dalan Imambara in Old Dhaka.
According to popular tradition, he undertook the construction after seeing Imam Hussain (RA) in a dream. The site later emerged as the principal centre of Muharram commemorations in Bengal.
More than four centuries later, Hussaini Dalan remains at the heart of Dhaka’s Ashura observance. The annual Tazia procession that starts from the historic complex has become one of the capital’s most recognised religious events.
The procession passes through parts of Old Dhaka and proceeds towards the temporary Karbala site in Dhanmondi via Bakshibazar, Azimpur, Nilkhet and Science Laboratory.
Alongside members of the Shia community, many Sunni Muslims also take part in the observance. Some fast, some offer prayers, and many gather to remember the lessons and legacy of Karbala.
