In Kumarkhali, Kushtia, Muslims congregated for a second consecutive day on Tuesday to perform a special prayer for rain, seeking respite from the relentless heatwave.

The prayer session was held outdoors at Kharidal Bill in Ballabpur village of Joduboyra union, commencing at 8:45 am.

Attendees fervently appealed for rain, expressing their earnest desire for divine intervention as they concluded the prayer, with many moved to tears.

Residents from nearby villages, including Ballabpur, Rasulpur, Bhavanipur, Jotmora, and Barichara, joined the gathering led by Imam Maulana Mufti Rabiul Islam of Ballabpur GK Jame Masjid.

Organizers announced plans to conduct the prayer session at the same venue at 9 am on Wednesday, aiming to continue their plea for rain.

The community highlighted the absence of rainfall for nearly a month, resulting in the depletion of water sources such as rivers, canals, ponds, and shallow tube wells, causing hardship for agricultural activities and daily life.

In response to the dire situation, residents organized a three-day prayer initiative to beseech Allah for rain, urging widespread participation through announcements made via a microphone.

Participants arrived equipped with prayer mats, towels, and caps, engaging in two rakat sunnat prayers and fervently supplicating for relief from the scorching heat and drought.

Local resident Ismail Joardar underscored the collective yearning for water, emphasizing the widespread impact on humans, animals, and birds, prompting the community to turn to prayer for divine assistance.

Farmer Md Sohrab Uddin highlighted the adverse effects of the prolonged dry spell on crop cultivation, motivating the community to seek divine intervention through prayer.

Imam Maulana Mufti Rabiul Islam attributed the rainless conditions and drought to human misconduct, drawing parallels to the tradition of seeking forgiveness through prayer during times of drought, as practiced by Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his companions.

He reiterated the Sunnah practice of conducting the prayer for three consecutive days, with the final session scheduled for Wednesday at the same location, where the community continues to seek divine mercy and relief from the prevailing heatwave.

The prayer initiative commenced on Monday morning in Ballabpur village of Joduboyra union in Kumarkhali upazila of Kushtia.