The Muslim community in Bangladesh is set to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha on Monday with due solemnity and sense of sacrifice.
On this day, the 10th day of Arabic month of Zilhajj on the lunar calendar, some 4,500 years ago, Prophet Ibrahim (AS) offered to sacrifice his beloved son Hazrat Ismail (AS), who willingly submitted to his father鈥檚 wish to please Almighty Allah.
The celebration will begin with Eid congregations all over the country followed by the sacrifice of animals in the name of Allah.
The three-day public holiday on the occasion of Eid began on Sunday.
The main Eid congregation, accommodating around 35,000 worshipers, will be held at the National Eidgah on the High Court premises in the capital at 7:30am, said the Dhaka South City Corporation.
Five Eid jamaat (congregations) will be held at the Baitul Mukarram national mosque, with the first at 7:00am, second at 8:00am, third at 9:00am, fourth at 10:00am, and the fifth at 10:45am, reports Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha.
The country鈥檚 largest Eid congregation, 197th since the first one in 1828, will be held at 9:00am in the historic Sholakia ground in Kishoreganj, with more than two lakh devotees expected to offer prayers together, reports the United News of Bangladesh.聽
聽President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Sunday greeted countrymen as well as the Muslims across the globe on the occasion of the Eid-ul-Azha that falls on Monday.
On the eve of the day, they issued separate messages praying that the holy Eid-ul-Azha will bring welfare for all with the emergence of the spirit of sacrifice among all.
In his message, the President said, 鈥楾he great example of profound love, absolute obedience and sacrifice to Almighty Allah set by Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) by taking steps to sacrifice his beloved son Hazrat Ismail (AS) at the directive of Allah is incomparable in the history and it鈥檚 a lesson for us鈥�.
In her message, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said that the unique example set by Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) and his son Hazrat Ismail (AS) through their self-sacrifice to attain the satisfaction of Almighty Allah will be imitated and followed forever by the world people.
Through the celebration of the festival (Eid-ul-Azha) every year, the well-off Muslims establish a bond of solidarity and equality among the people by distributing the meat of sacrificed animal to their relatives and the poor and needy people, she added.
Noting that the Eid-ul-Azha teaches peace, compassion, sacrifice and brotherhood, the premier said the sincere wish of the Eid festival should be- may sacrifices, self-purification, restraint, amity and harmony of Muslims spread in all stages of life.
May the life of every person be filled with happiness and endless joy of Eid, she added.
鈥業 hope the Eid will bring happiness and joy in the lives of all, rich and poor,鈥� Sheikh Hasina said.
The main opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party secretary general, Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir, in a message on Sunday congratulated the countrymen, along with the leaders and activists of the party and the Muslim Ummah, on the occasion of Eid.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin will host a reception for high-officials of the government, diplomats and members of the elite society at Bangabhaban tomorrow on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.
聽鈥楾he reception will be held from 10:30am to 12:00 noon on the Eid Day . . . The President and his spouse Dr Rebeka Sultana will exchange greetings with the cross section of people at the Credentials Hall of the Bangabhaban on the occasion,鈥� BSS quoted the president鈥檚 press secretary, Md Joynal Abedin, as saying.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police commissioner Habibur Rahman on Sunday said that five-tier security measures were taken to ensure smooth Eid congregation in Bangladesh capital Dhaka, including that at the National Eidgah.
He said that the measures would be taken to maintain law and order situation in the city for Eid-ul-Azha.
There was no fear of any kind of terrorist attack during Eid, he told reporters after inspecting the overall security arrangements on the National Eidgah premises in the morning.
Meanwhile, the Dhaka South City Corporation has prepared to remove the wastes of sacrificial animals within 24 hours, while the North City Corporation has planned to complete the waste removal within six hours, starting from 2:00pm on Eid day.
The two corporations also set up central control rooms for removing the sacrificial animals鈥� wastes and coordinating the management of the cattle markets during Eid.
State-run Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar as well as other TV channels and radio stations would broadcast special Eid programmes.
On Eid day, improved diets will be served to inmates of government hospitals, prisons, orphanages, safe homes and shelter centers.
