Dhaka: The country’s Muslims observed holy Ashura on Wednesday with due religious reverence expressing their remorse for the tragic incident at Karbala desert.

The day was observed as a sign of sacrifice and mourning commemorating the Karbala tragedy where Hazrat Imam Hussain ®, a grandson of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), embraced martyrdom along his family members and followers on the 10th of Muharram in Hijri 61.

Different religious and socio-political organisations marked the day amid different programmes, including discussion, milad mahfil and rally.

Some Muslims also observed the day through various prayers, including fasting, Qurankhwani and reciting from holy Quran and saying Nafl prayers.

They day was a public holiday.  

Shia community members brought out a huge procession, known as ‘Tajia’, from Imambara at Hussaini Dalan in old part of the capital in the morning.

The traditional procession with the participation of over 5000 people paraded different streets in the capital, including Nilkhet intersection and Pilkhana.  

They were seen carrying flags and banners commemorating the Karbala tragedy.

Apart from the main procession, Shia community people brought out several other Tajia processions in different parts of the city.

Meanwhile, a Class-VIII student, Nazir Uddin, was electrocuted during a Tajia procession at Hatirtan in Sadar upazila of Habiganj in the morning.

Laskarpur union parishad chairman Amzad Ali said Nazir was electrocuted as a metal pike he was carrying came in touch with an overhead electric wire.  

Bangladesh Betar, Bangladesh Television and private TV channels and radio stations aired special programmes, and national dailies published articles highlighting the significance of the day.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police took a ‘three-tier’ security measures to ensure peaceful Tajia processions, following last year’s terror attack centring the gathering of the Shia community.

At least two people were killed and over 150 injured in bomb explosions in front of Hussaini Dalan before the beginning of the Tajia procession on October 23 last year.