Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)– The holy Eid-ul-Azha is being celebrated across Bangladesh on Monday with due solemnity and religious fervour.

On the occasion, the Muslims across the country are offering prayers in congregations and sacrificing animals in the name of Almighty Allah.
They are offering munajat seeking divine blessings for peace, progress and prosperity of the country as well as welfare of the Muslim Ummah.
Following the special morning prayers, the Muslims started sacrificing animals and sharing the meat with relatives, neighbours and poor people.
Millions of cattle are slaughtered across the country on the occasion.
The Eid-ul-Azha is celebrated on the 10th of Zilhajj month of the Hizri calendar as Hazrat Ibrahim (AS), on this day some 4,000 years ago, offered to sacrifice his beloved son Hazrat Ismail (AS) who willingly submitted to the will of his father to please Allah. But the Almighty in His benign mercy spared Hazrat Ismail (AS) and instead sent a ram to be sacrificed.

To commemorate this historic event, the Muslims all over the world slaughter sacrificial animals and draw inspiration from the unique example of sacrifice to please Allah as shown by two great prophets — Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) and Hazrat Ismail (AS).

The government has taken elaborate programmes to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha, the second biggest religious festival of the Muslims, across the country with due solemnity and religious fervour.
The celebration began with Eid congregations across the country followed by sacrifice of cattle in the name of Allah.

Meanwhile, Dhaka City Corporations (North and South) have taken necessary preparations to clear garbage and animal wastes from the city streets immediately after the sacrifice of animals by city dwellers.
The Environment and Forest Ministry has urged all to dump wastes to be generated from sacrificed animals into dustbins to help keep the city clean.
Meanwhile, millions of people have already left the capital Dhaka and other major cities to celebrate Eid with their near and dear ones in the countryside.
A three-day Eid holiday began on Sunday, Newspaper offices would also remain closed for three days until October 7.

BBN/SSR/AD-06Oct14-11:53 am (BST)