Shops closed during prayers in Lakshmipur, a great initiative by the municipal mayor

Staff Correspondent:
'Prayer is the key to prayer' - Lakshmipur Municipality Mayor Alhaj Abu Taher has taken a great initiative to encourage Muslims of all religions to offer prayers. He has requested that all types of businesses in Lakshmipur city (including Hindu and Muslim) be closed during every prayer time. The Lakshmipur Merchants' Association, Muslim traders as well as Hindu traders have agreed on this. On Monday afternoon, with the call to prayer for Zuhr, traders in the city were seen closing their shops and going to the mosque in groups. This led to a rush of devotees in the mosques. Meanwhile, following such an announcement, Hindus were also seen keeping their shops closed during prayers.
Some Muslim traders said that if the shops are open during prayers in the markets of Lakshmipur city, the shopkeepers themselves often cannot offer prayers. Therefore, such a great decision of the mayor has been made well. This will increase the interest of buyers and sellers in offering prayers. Moreover, arrangements have been made for women who come to the market during prayer time to offer prayers on the ground floor of the Lakshmipur Chowk Bazar Jame Mosque. So that no woman has to return home during prayer time.
Hindu businessman Liton Majumdar said, "We will not allow any worshippers to enter our shops during Muslim prayers. Hindus will temporarily close their shops during that time."
Meanwhile, most of the shops in different parts of the city were seen closed during the Zuhr and Asr prayers. However, some shops were open in the Azim Shah Market area of the city. On the other hand, people from all walks of life, including the Lakshmipur Merchants' Association, businessmen, devotees of the city, civil society, have applauded the decision of Lakshmipur Mayor Abu Taher.
Laxmipur Azish Shah Market trader Touhidul Islam told Top News, "We traders are very happy with the decision of the municipal mayor. However, there are two mosques next to our market. The prayer times in the two mosques are also different. As a result, during the prayers in one mosque, several shops are open around the other mosque, which disrupts the rules to some extent."
Lakshmipur Merchants' Association President AKM Salah Uddin Tipu said that the merchants' association welcomed the mayor's decision. The merchants' association will organize camping in the market area to encourage people to offer prayers. He said that followers of traditional religions will cooperate in this.
Lakshmipur Municipality Mayor Abu Taher said that businessmen in the city have been requested to keep all types of shops closed during prayers. Even miking has been done. Hopefully, the devotees, buyers and sellers will come to the mosque and offer prayers with the congregation.