Some have come from Barguna, some from Dinajpur; some with their families, others with friends. They include Muslims and people of other faiths. Some come to pray, others simply to see the mosque’s elegant architecture and beautiful surroundings. Visitors this varied can be seen every day at the Baitul Aman Jame Mosque in Guthia, Wazirpur, Barishal.
Built on 14 acres, the mosque has drawn people for almost two decades as both a place of worship and a sight to see. Since it opened to all in 2006, people have come from every part of the country, including people of different faiths.
The Baitul Aman Jame Mosque, in the Chengutia area of Guthia, can hold about 1,500 worshippers at a time, with separate prayer spaces for women and men. Alongside prayer, its architecture is one of the main attractions for visitors.
The mosque has 20 domes. Parts of it are decorated with marble, granite, ceramics and stained-glass designs. Verses and surahs of the Quran, including Ayatul Kursi and Surah Ar-Rahman, are written in calligraphy on the walls. After dark, coloured lighting adds to its beauty.
Sabit Mahmud, who came from Barguna with his family, said he was drawn by the mosque’s architecture, design and surroundings. They toured different parts of the mosque together, and he enjoyed seeing such a beautiful building up close.
Dhirendranath Karmakar, who came from Dinajpur with his family, said he found the mosque’s architecture and decoration striking. Whatever people’s religious identity, there should be no divide when it comes to appreciating architecture and beauty, he said.
The mosque complex also includes an orphanage. People involved with the mosque said soil from important places in Mecca and Medina is kept there, including from the Kaaba, the plain of Arafat, Jabal al-Rahmah, Jabal al-Nour, the Prophet’s birthplace, the grave of Mother Hawa and the graves of the caliphs.
Construction of the mosque began on December 16, 2003, funded personally by S Sharfuddin Ahmed Santu, member of parliament for Barishal-2. Work took about three years, and the mosque opened to all in 2006.
Hafez Siddiqur Rahman, who helps look after the mosque, said he has been involved in its upkeep since it was founded. People come from all over the country to see Baitul Aman, including people of different faiths, and the number coming to see its architecture and surroundings grows day by day, he said.
A number of businesses have grown up around the mosque in Guthia, and Baitul Aman has become known as a sight worth visiting as well as a place of worship.
“Guthia’s Baitul Aman mosque has become known beyond the country’s borders, abroad as well,” said Wazirpur upazila nirbahi officer Md Ali Suja. “People of different faiths come to see its elegant architecture.”
People come here for the architecture as well as for prayer. With visitors arriving from far and wide with their families, Guthia’s Baitul Aman Jame Mosque has become a place of wide interest as well as a place of worship.
বাংলায় মূল প্রতিবেদন পড়ুন · Read the original Bengali report