Prayers Halted at Historic Kolkata Mosque

Worshippers were unable to offer Friday prayers at the 136-year-old Bankra Mosque, located beside the perimeter wall of Kolkata’s Dum Dum Airport, after authorities imposed prohibitory restrictions and deployed heavy security across the area.

From early Friday morning, large contingents of West Bengal Police, central security personnel, the Rapid Action Force (RAF) and water cannon units were stationed around Airport Gate No. 7 and its surrounding neighbourhoods. The administration also enforced Section 163 of the Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), a legal provision that replaced the former Section 144 of the Code of Criminal Procedure and empowers authorities to prohibit public gatherings in situations considered sensitive.

The mosque committee had announced plans to hold Friday congregational prayers, followed by peaceful prayers and a symbolic protest, after alleging that access to the mosque had been blocked in recent days. The programme was led by Siddiqullah Chowdhury, president of the mosque committee, former West Bengal minister and state president of Jamiat Ulema-e-Hind.

However, upon reaching the vicinity of Airport Gate No. 7 on Friday, Chowdhury held discussions with administrative officials before announcing that it would not be possible to proceed with the planned gathering under the prevailing circumstances. Witnesses said he and his supporters later offered Friday prayers at another nearby mosque instead.

In a separate display of dissent, some worshippers in different parts of Kolkata were seen wearing black armbands during Friday prayers as a silent mark of protest over the restrictions imposed at the Bankra Mosque.

The dispute centres on allegations by the mosque authorities that access to the historic place of worship has been blocked as part of a proposed plan to relocate the mosque because of its proximity to the airport. According to the committee, worshippers have been prevented from entering the mosque for several days.

At a press conference held in Kolkata on Thursday, Siddiqullah Chowdhury and other mosque committee representatives claimed that the entrance to the mosque had been sealed from inside since 11 July. They also alleged that personnel from the central security establishment informed them that prayers would no longer be permitted at the mosque adjacent to the airport.

The committee further contended that no prior consultation had taken place before access to the mosque was suspended. It also claimed that no written notice explaining the decision or outlining any administrative procedure had been served.

According to the mosque authorities, the Bankra Mosque was established in 1890 and has served worshippers from the surrounding region for well over a century. They maintain that, before the partition of the Indian subcontinent, Muslims from areas that now form present-day Bangladesh also travelled to the mosque to offer prayers, underscoring its historical and cultural significance.

The committee’s stated objective for Friday’s gathering was to demand the restoration of regular prayers at the mosque and the reopening of Airport Gate No. 7, which they believe would allow worshippers to regain access. Those plans, however, could not be implemented because of the extensive security arrangements and the enforcement of Section 163.

Although no major confrontation was reported, the developments have left the area in North 24 Parganas under heightened tension. The situation remains sensitive, with the mosque committee continuing to seek restoration of access while the authorities maintain strict security measures around the airport precinct.