25K People Still Gathered for Prayer Session in Bangladesh to ‘Rid the Country of the Virus’

The fear of getting infected by Covid-19 has caused many people to shut themselves away from the outside world and stay in the comfort of their own homes for the time being.

Especially since social gatherings are the easiest way for the virus to spread from one person to another.

Most governments have also advised their citizens to practise social distancing and avoid going out unless absolutely necessary.

But, it seems like these 25K people in Bangladesh are fearless. 

Huge Covid-19 Prayer Session in Bangladesh

Tens of thousands of people gathered together in Raipur town, Bangladesh to hold a massive prayer session on Wednesday, 18 Mar 2020.

Given the current situation happening all around the world, I don’t think I need to explain how dangerous that is.

According to the local police chief, Tota Miah, around 10,000 Muslims gathered in an open field in Raipur town to pray “healing verses” from the Quran to rid the country of the deadly virus.

However, organisers said that a total of 25,000 people had been present at the event.

And then eyewitnesses told BBC that the figure was actually closer to 30,000.

“They held the Khatme Shifa prayers after dawn to free the country from the coronavirus,” said Miah to AFP.

Organisers Held The Prayer Session Without Permission

The government in Bangladesh had already shut schools by then and asked locals to avoid large gatherings in an effort to halt the spread of the disease.

The organisers of the prayer session did not have permission to run it, but they still went ahead and did it anyway.

It is rumoured to have been organised by a local religious leader in the small town.

He had urged people in joining him to pray for protection during the coronavirus outbreak so that they would be “free from the coronavirus”.

Pictures of the gathering have been circulating around social media, and many netizens are shocked at the large number of people that turned up despite being told to avoid social gatherings.

“Unbelievable how they even have done it without notifying the police? They will be held responsible if anything happens to the people in the region,” said Abdur Rahman regarding the organisers of the event, via a Facebook post.

People Are Also Flocking To Tourist Sites

However, we can’t blame the organisers completely as the 25,000 people had decided themselves that they were going to attend the gathering.

It turns out that despite warnings from the government, people in Bangladesh are taking this opportunity to head out to tourist sites.

The police had to step in and close two beaches, including one located in Cox’s Bazar, the main resort district of the country, which is also home to Rohingya refugees from Myanmar.

Bangladesh currently has 18 confirmed cases of the coronavirus, and it recently reported its first death.

Although the country’s numbers of infections are low, who knows what could happen after this mass event?

After all, a similar religious gathering held in Malaysia not too long ago led to many confirmed cases in Malaysia, Singapore, Brunei and Cambodia.

Obaidul Quader, a senior leader from the ruling Awami League, said that Bangladesh might have to go on lockdown in order to contain the virus.

“If necessary, Bangladesh will be shut down. It’ll be enforced where necessary. People must be saved first. We’ll do everything for that.”