DHAKA, May 25, 2020 (BSS) – The holy Eid-ul-Fitr, one of the greatest
religious festivals of the Muslims, will be celebrated across the country
today with religious fervor and zeal.
The National Moon Sighting Committee declared the date of this year’s Eid-
ul-Fitr at a meeting at the conference room of Islamic Foundation at Baitul
Mokarram National Mosque on Saturday with Religious Affairs Secretary Md
Nurul Islam in the chair.
Eid-ul-Fitr is an Arabic word meaning “festival of breaking of the fast”.
The festival marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, the ninth
month of the Islamic calendar. Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from
dawn to dusk during the holy Ramadan.
On the Eid day morning, Muslims gather at mosques and prayer venues to
perform Eid prayers and greet each other. The festival is celebrated by
visiting friends and relatives, hosting food parties and sharing sweets.
Children not only get new clothes and shoes, but also receive cash gifts
called “Salami” from their elders, relatives and well-wishers.
The occasion is seen as a time of forgiveness and of giving thanks to Allah
for helping people to complete their month-long spiritual fasting. Many
Muslims distribute cash and food to the less fortunate ones.
But, this year, the Eid-ul-Fitr is going to be celebrated in a different
outlook as the government has imposed a strict restriction on all the social
gathering and urged the Muslim devotees to celebrate the Eid with only family
members indoors instead of visiting relatives’ houses and outing around in
the awake of the global COVID-19 pandemic.
The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on Friday issued a 14-point instruction
for Muslim devotees and mosque committees in observance of the Eid-ul-Fitr.
It called upon the city dwellers to celebrate the Eid-ul-Fitr with family
members at home and advised all to refrain from visiting relatives,
neighbours, and entertainment spots in the city in a bid to contain the
spread of coronavirus.
The instruction also said devotees would have to perform ablution from home
before coming for Eid prayers, instead of using ablution room of the mosques.
Earlier, on May 14, the Religious Affairs Ministry issued a circular asking
the authorities concerned to hold Eid Jamaat of the Eid-ul-Fitr at nearby
mosques instead of Eidgahs or open space aiming to contain the spread of
coronavirus.
The minister also urged the Muslim devotees not to hug each other after
Eid-ul-Fitr prayers, which is the common scenario of the Eid festival to
exchange greetings.
In line with the government directives, Dhaka north and south city
corporation decided not to hold any Eid jamaat on the open spaces, including
at the National Eidgah on the High Court premises, in the city.
Besides, the historic Eid jamaat at the Sholakia Maidan in Kishoreganj has
also been suspended this year amid the COVID-19 situation.
However, five Eid jamaats will be held at the Baitul Mukarram National
Mosque like every year, according to Islamic Foundation.
The first Eid jamaat will be held at 7 am on the Eid day while it will be
followed by other four congregations at the same venue to help the devotees
perform Eid prayers maintaining the social distancing and health guidelines
properly.
The second, third, fourth and fifth Jamaats will be held at 8 am, 9 am, 10
am and 10.45 am respectively while separate Khatibs of the national mosque
will conduct the Eid jamaats.
Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar and other private TV channels will
air special programmes on the occasion of the Eid-ul-Fitr.