Dhaka, Bangladesh (BBN)- Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest festival of the Muslims, is being celebrated with solemnity and religious fervour in Bangladesh on Tuesday.
The festival began in the morning with offering of Eid prayers by tens of millions of Muslims at mosques and Eidgahs throughout the country.
After the prayers, a special munajat was offered seeking divine blessings for peace, progress and prosperity of the country and welfare of the Muslim Ummah. The prayers were followed by sacrificing of animals in the name of Allah.
The main Eid congregation of the country was held in the National Eidgah in the capital Dhaka at 8:00am (local time) on Tuesday under tight security while the biggest one was held at 9:00 am at Sholakia of Kishoreganj district.
President Abdul Hamid offered Eid-ul-Azha prayers at the National Eidgah in the capital. Political leaders, judges of the Supreme Court, diplomats, high civil and military officials and educationists offered their Eid-ul-Azha prayers on the National Eidgah Maidan.
Hundreds of people from all walks of life participated in the prayers at the National Eidgah and the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque despite heavy shower that began in Dhaka just before 7:00 am.
Five congregations were arranged at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque.
The first one was held at 7:00, the second one at 8:00 and the third one at 9:00 in the morning. The 4th and the 5th congregations are scheduled for 10 am and 10.45 am.
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 by two great prophets - Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) and Hazrat Ismail (AS) - to please Allah.
President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, and Leader of the Opposition in Parliament Begum Raushan Ershad issued separate messages, greeting the Muslims in Bangladesh and all over the world on the occasion of Eid-ul Azha.
The government has taken elaborate programmes to celebrate the festival across the country with due solemnity and religious fervour.
State-run Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar and other TV channels and radio stations are airing special programmes. Newspapers have already published special supplements on the occasion.
National flags are hoisted at different government and non-government offices and Bangladesh missions abroad marking the day. City streets were decorated with national flags and festoons inscribed with different messages on Eid-ul-Azha.
Important public and private buildings were illuminated in the capital and other cities. On the day, improved diets were served at hospitals, prisons, orphanages, safe homes and shelter centers.
Two city corporations - Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) - arranged over 400 Eid congregations in the capital city. Of those, DSCC organised 228 congregations and DNCC 180.
District administration, upazila administration and city corporations and councils across the country have also taken different programmes to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha in a befitting manner.
BBN/SSR/AD