Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN) - Eid-ul-Fitr, the largest religious festival of the Muslims, is being observed across Bangladesh on Thursday with due religious fervor and solemnity.
The first Eid congregation in the capital, Dhaka was held at 7:30am (local time) at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque. Four more also took place at the national mosque at 8:30, 9:30, 10:30, and 11:15am.
The major Eid congregation of the city, however, was held at the Jatiya Eidgah Maidan at the High Court premises in Dhaka at 8:30am where President Iajuddin Ahmed, Chief Advisor Fakhruddin Ahmed and other advisors, Chief Justice MM Ruhul Amin, Speaker Zamiruddin Sircar, Deputy Speaker Akhtar Hamid Siddiqui, government officials, political leaders and other prominent people were present.
The biggest Eid congregation with over 300000 people was held at Sholakhia Eidgah in Kishoreganj district of Bangladesh.
The national flag is being kept hoisted atop government and non-government offices on the occasion. Main city streets were also decorated with flags imprinted with 'Eid Mubarak' in Bengali and Arabic.
Special diets are being served in hospitals, jails, government-owned children and shelter homes, socially handicapped and vagabond welfare centers and shelter homes for the destitute.
Newspaper offices were closed until October 3, but Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television as well as private television channels and radio stations have been broadcasting special programs on this occasion.
BBN/SI/SS/AD-02October08-5:40 PM (BST)