Dhaka, July 21, 2021 (BSS) - The holy Eid-ul-Azha, one of the major
religious festivals of the Muslims, was celebrated today across the
country with due solemnity and religious fervour.
This year's Eid was celebrated amidst fears of coronavirus as the
pandemic faded the joy of the festival to a great extent.
Muslim devotees celebrated the festival across the country with
maintaining health guidelines and social distancing in the wake of the
lethal virous.
The main Eid Jamaat was held at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque
in the city at 7am followed by second, third and fourth Eid Jammat at
8am, 9am and 10 am there respectively. The fifth and last Eid Jammat
was held at 10:45am.
President M Abdul Hamid offered prayers of Eid-ul-Azha along with
his family members and some officials at the Hallway of the
Bangabhaban here.
The head of the state offered his Eid prayers at the Presidential
palace with maintaining health rules, including wearing facemask and
maintaining social distancing as the traditional Eid prayers in the
capital's National Eidgah ground was scrapped in view of Covid-19
outbreak.
The Eid jamaat was held at 8.30am. Pesh Imam of Bangabhaban Jame
Mosque Mufti Maulana Saiful Kabir conducted the Eid prayers.
Secretaries concerned to the President Office, only some other key
officials and staff attended the Eid prayers.
After the prayers, President Hamid spent his time with his family
members at the Presidential palace. But no ceremonial greetings with
serving delicious food items, in presence of country's distinguished
personalities and foreign diplomats or guests were seen there.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today greeted all Freedom Fighters
(FFs) on the occasion of the holy Eid-ul-Azha.
Like the previous occasions, the Prime Minister sent flowers, fruits
and sweetmeats to the war-wounded FFs and members of the martyred
families at the War-wounded Freedom Fighters' Rehabilitation Centre
(Muktijoddha Tower-I) on Gaznavi Road in the capital's Mohammadpur
area as a mark of her good wishes for them.
On behalf of the Prime Minister, her Assistant Private Secretary-2
Gazi Hafizur Rahman Liku, Deputy Press Secretary Hasan Jahid Tusher
and Assistant Press Secretary ABM Sarwer-e-Alam Sarker handed over
these items to them in the morning.
Eid Jamaat was also held throughout the country with maintaining
physical distancing and health protocols set by the government.
The Eid Jamaat of Sholakia Maidan, a hundred-year-old historical Eid
congregation, was scrapped this year for likewise the previous year
due to Covid-19 outbreak.
In the main Eid Jamaat at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, its
senior imam Hafez Mufti Maulana Mohammad and Muazzin of Baitul
Mukarram Mosque Mizanur Rahman conducted the prayers.
Special prayers were also held seeking continued peace and
development of the nation as well as global peace and for those
infected and died from Covid-19.
However, after the Eid prayers, the ever-familiar scene of the
devotees shaking hands and hugging each others did not catch the eye
this time.
Mayor of Dhaka South Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, top
officials of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Islamic Foundation,
Dhaka Metropolitan South Awami League Joint General Secretary Kazi
Morshed Hossain Kamal, South City Corporation Secretary Akramuzzaman
offered prayers in the first Eid congregation.
Mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh expressed his hope that the
sacrificial animals' wastes will be removed in the corporation area
within the next 24 hours.
"We have taken various steps for removing the wastes and expected to
remove within the next 24 hours," the mayor said while talking to
journalists after Eid prayers.
Dhaka University (DU) Central Mosque Masjidul Jamia also held
Eid-ul-Azha Jamaat at 8 am. Senior Imam Khatib of the mosque led the
congregation.
At the end of Eid-ul-Azha Jamaat, Muslim devotees sacrificed animals
according to their ability in the hope of attaining infinite grace of
Almighty Allah.
Heads of departments and government agencies celebrated Eid-ul-Azha
by formulating their respective programs in the light of national
programs.
Besides, Eid Jamaat was held at the traditional government
Madrasa-e-Alia, Dhaka Mosque and Dhanmondi Eidgah Mosque at 8 am.
The first Eid Jamaat was held at Noorani Jame Mosque in Laxmi Bazar
at 8 am, Mia Saheb Maidan Khanka Sharif Jame Mosque in Laxmi Bazar at
8 am and Baitus Salam Jame Mosque at Lalbagh JN Saha Road at 8:30 am.
The second Eid Jamaat was held here at 8:30 am.
The congregation was held at 8:15 am and the second congregation was
also held at 9 am.
Two more Eid Jamaats were held at Karwan Bazar Amber Shah Jame
Mosque at 7.30 am, Islamabad's Chawkbazar Islambagh Bara Mosque at 8
am, and 9 am respectively.
Besides, it is known that three Eid congregations were also held at
Gausul Azam in Mohakhali mosque.
As per the government directives, concerned authorities after
consulting with local administrations, public representatives and
dignitaries arranged Eid congregations at mosques, Eidgahs or open
places maintaining the health guidelines issued by the Directorate
General of Health Services (DGHS).
According to the notification, carpets were not laid on mosque
floors while disinfectant was used at mosques before prayers.
The devotees brought their own prayer mats to the Eidgahs to say
prayers. Hand sanitizer or soap and water were kept for washing hands
at mosques and Eidgahs before entrench. Social distancing and health
protocols were maintained.
The Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change also urged
the countrymen to follow hygiene rules during sacrifice and remove
wastes of sacrificed animals in a proper way.
The ministry also asked the City Corporations to take special
measures to remove the sacrificial animals' wastes from the city
streets on Eid day.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister and Awami League General
Secretary Obaidul Quader extend Eid greetings to the people and his
party leaders and workers at his official residence today.
He urged the people to abide by the health guidelines and other
rules, set by the government saying all must keep in mind that the Eid
celebration should not be allowed to turn into sadness.
"You celebrate the EId festival with utmost caution following health
rules," he said.
He said the pandemic has changed the traditional festive mood, but
life still goes on according to its rules.
Quader called upon all to stand by the distressed and helpless
people responding to the call of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Information and Broadcasting Minister Dr Hasan Mahmud greeted the
countrymen on the holy Eid-ul-Azha and prayed that the nation and the
world would return to normal life after getting freed from Covid-19
pandemic.
"On this day of holy Eid, I'm praying that Bangladesh and the world
as well would be freed from coronavirus. I'm also praying for the
welfare and prosperity of the country and the people as well," he said
while exchanging views with the newsmen after attending an Eid jamaat
at the National Mosque Baitul Mukarram in the capital.
The Eid-ul-Azha is celebrated on the 10th day of Zilhajj month of
the Hizri calendar as Hazrat Ibrahim (AS), on this day, offered to
sacrifice his beloved son Hazrat Ismail (AS) who willingly submitted
to the will of his father to please Almighty Allah some 4,500 years
back.
But the Almighty in His benign mercy spared Hazrat Ismail (AS) and
instead of that sent a ram to be sacrificed.
To commemorate this historic event, the Muslims across the world
offer prayers in congregations and sacrifice animals in the name of
Almighty Allah on the day. They also offer munajat seeking divine
blessings for peace, progress, prosperity and welfare of the Muslim
Ummah.
The government has declared three days official holiday-on Tuesday,
Wednesday and Thursday marking the Eid-ul-Azha.
The government officials and employees have, however, been asked to
stay at their respective work stations during the Eid holidays.
Adequate security measures were taken for peaceful and smooth
celebration of the holy Eid-ul-Azha.
State-run Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar as well as
other TV channels and radio stations aired special programmes on the
occasion of the Eid-ul-Azha.
On the day, improved diets were served to inmates of the government
hospitals, prisons, orphanages, safe homes and shelter centers.
