Mr. Rajib Sharma,(Chittagong Buruea): The joy of Eid-ul-Fitr has taken over Bangladesh as the country is celebrating the largest festival of Muslims on Saturday after the end of the Ramadan month of fasting.
The festivity of the occasion enveloped the country well before the Eid day, as shoppers flocked to malls and markets for new clothes and hundreds of thousands began to leave Dhaka in days before the holidays to head home and share the joy with their families.
Bangladesh will be celebrating the Eid on Saturday as the festival usually falls on the day following Eid in Saudi Arabia, and the Gulf kingdom commemorated the event on Friday.
The National Moon-Sighting Committee’s confirmation of the sighting of the crescent for the month of Shawwal on the Islamic calendar in the evening added to the joy of holidaymakers.
More than a hundred villages across Bangladesh, however, celebrated Eid on Friday in keeping with a tradition of commemorating all religious festivals along with Saudi Arabia.
On Saturday morning the festivities began with Eid prayers. Many devotees gathered at the National Eidgah premises in Dhaka to pray for the well-being of the people and the country.
The prayer service was led by Baitul Mukarram National Mosque Senior Pesh Imam Hafez Maulana Muhammad Mizanur Rahman.
President Md Abdul Hamid, Chief Justice Syed Mahmud Hossain, Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Sayeed Khokon and many others were in attendance at the service.
Eid prayers were also held at various other mosques and locations across the country. Though the services concluded peacefully, devotees had to overcome difficulties from rain in various areas.
President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had sent their Eid greetings to the people and prayed for continued peace, progress and prosperity of the country and the Muslim world.
The president called for letting the teachings of the Eid-ul-Fitr spread among all people and helping build a prosperous Bangladesh.
Hasina hoped that the practice of self-purification, restraint, amity and harmony of the Muslims in personal, family, social and state lived spread everywhere.
Jatiya Eidgah where the main congregation will be held is ready for the prayers of Eid-ul-Fitr, the largest religious festival of Muslims. This will be shifted to the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque at 9am in case of bad weather.
Mosques and other congregation grounds across the country are also ready for the Eid prayers, with the largest gathering expected at Sholakia in Kishoreganj.
After the prayers, President Hamid exchanged Eid greetings with ministers, MPs, politicians, diplomats, professionals, and leaders of religious communities at the Bangabhaban from 10am in Saturday.