Prayer, the second pillar of Islam after faith, holds a central place in a Muslim’s daily life. Scholars emphasize that on the Day of Judgment, the very first account will be taken regarding prayer, making its timely observance essential.

Today, Wednesday, 17 September 2025 (2 Ashwin 1432 in the Bengali calendar and 23 Rabiul Awal 1447 in the Hijri calendar), the prayer timetable for Dhaka and surrounding areas has been announced.

According to the schedule, Zuhr prayer will be at 11:56 am, Asr at 4:18 pm, Maghrib at 6:01 pm, and Isha at 7:16 pm. Tomorrow, Thursday, Fajr prayer will begin at 4:31 am.

Regional adjustments apply to other divisions. In Chattogram, prayer times will be 5 minutes earlier, and in Sylhet, 6 minutes earlier. In contrast, Khulna adds 3 minutes, Rajshahi 7 minutes, Rangpur 8 minutes, and Barishal 1 minute to Dhaka’s schedule.

Religious scholars highlight that beyond the obligatory five daily prayers, observing additional Sunnah, Wajib, and Nafl prayers brings believers closer to Allah’s mercy and spiritual peace.

Three Bangladeshi scholars have recently been appointed as part-time lecturers at the prestigious Islamic University of Madinah in Saudi Arabia. Within a span of one week, they began teaching in different departments of the institution. The appointees are Maulana Sharif Ahmad Al Madani, Maulana Ershadur Rahman, and Maulana Moshahid Dewan.

Sharif Al Madani, the latest to join, confirmed the news on Saturday (13 September). He will serve in the Department of Hadith and is set to begin classes from 14 September. Meanwhile, Ershadur Rahman has already started teaching at the Arabic Language Institute, and Moshahid Dewan has taken up his role in the Shariah Department.

All three scholars have pursued advanced studies at the university. Hailing from Habiganj, Sharif Al Madani has been in Madinah since 2012. He completed his undergraduate, master’s, and MPhil degrees there and is now pursuing his PhD. For over a decade, he has also been teaching and training at the Al-Masjid an-Nabawi Academy.

Ershadur Rahman, from Teknaf in Cox’s Bazar, graduated in Arabic language and completed his MPhil before starting his PhD. His MPhil thesis, “The Influence of Arabic on the Bangla Language”, gained recognition as the first academic study on Bangla at the university.

Moshahid Dewan, originally from Narayanganj, moved to Saudi Arabia in 2016 on a government scholarship. He completed his studies in Arabic linguistics and is now in the final stage of his MPhil research. Earlier in Bangladesh, he ranked in the top 10 of the national merit list in Dawra-e-Hadith examinations.

Their appointments are seen as a notable milestone for Bangladeshi scholars, marking a significant presence in one of the world’s most respected Islamic educational institutions.

Two people were killed and at least six others injured in a stampede during the Eid-e-Milad-un-Nabi (PBUH) procession in Chattogram on Saturday. The incident occurred around noon in the Muradpur area. The victims were identified as Ayub Ali, 60, from Patiya, and Saiful Islam, 13, from Kalamia Bazar.

According to police at Chattogram Medical College Hospital, one of the injured has been admitted to the ICU. Members of the Anjuman Rahmaniya Trust’s medical team said several people fell in the crowd due to heat and congestion, leading to the stampede.

The 54th annual procession began at 10am from Almgir Khanqah Sharif, with thousands of devotees joining under heavy police security and the supervision of volunteers.

The Jashne Julus, which started in 1980, has grown into one of the largest religious gatherings in the world, led by Allama Syed Muhammad Sabir Shah.