Eid's namaz move to Brigade from Red Road after 1919; Khilafat agrees for venue change

In a historic shift, Kolkata’s largest Eid-uz-Zuha congregation will move from its traditional Red Road venue to the Brigade Parade Ground this year. The decision was finalised on Sunday following intensive discussions between the Kolkata Police and the Calcutta Khilafat Committee. Police officials had urged organisers to explore alternative locations to ensure better crowd management and adhere to recent administrative directives regarding public convenience.

The change marks a significant departure for the event, which has been held on Red Road for decades, only seeing interruptions during the Covid-19 pandemic. The shift comes in the wake of new guidelines from the newly elected BJP government, which mandate that religious congregations should not block roads or cause public inconvenience, and that loudspeaker volumes remain within religious precincts. To facilitate the move, the Army—custodian of the Maidan—has already issued the necessary no-objection certificate for the new venue.

Javed Ahmed Khan, TMC MLA and president of the Calcutta Khilafat Committee, confirmed that the Brigade Parade Ground has been selected to accommodate the lakhs of devotees expected to attend. While the committee expressed concerns regarding potential rain, police sources have reportedly provided assurances that necessary arrangements will be made to handle weather-related disruptions. This relocation mirrors a similar event in 1919, when the prayer venue was moved from Shahid Minar to Red Road due to waterlogging.

Joint CP (Headquarters) Sudeep Sarkar stated that the decision involved all stakeholders to ensure a smooth transition. Every year, the massive gathering requires complex coordination for security, traffic regulation, and crowd movement. By moving the event to the expansive Brigade ground, authorities aim to uphold traditional religious practices while strictly following new city-wide protocols for public order and noise control.