Muslims across Bangladesh are celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr, one of the biggest religious festivals of Muslims, today with due solemnity, a spirit of sacrifice, and religious fervour.

The main congregation was held at the Jatiya Eidgah in the capital at 8:30am at the National Eidgah on the High Court premises.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin and prime minister Tarique Rahman participated the Eid congregation at the Jatiya Eidgah in the morning and shared Eid greetings with people.

Several thousand devotees along with ministers, diplomates and bureaucrats also participated at the special prayer.

The Eid prayers were led by Mufti Mohammad Abdul Malek, khatib of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque. 

The country’s largest Eid congregation took place at Sholakia Eidgah in Kishoreganj amid tight security.

Eid congregations also held in different divisional cities, districts and upazilas across the country.

A special munajat was offered after the prayers, seeking divine blessings for peace and progress of Bangladesh, as well as the welfare of its people and the Muslim Ummah, prayers seek peace particularly for the people living in Iran and Palestine. 

Eid-ul-Fitr, an Arabic term meaning ‘festival of breaking the fast’, marks the end of the holy month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar.

During Ramadan, Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to dusk.

Meanwhile, tens of thousands of people left Dhaka and its adjacent areas for their ancestral homes in different districts to celebrate Eid with their families as the government announced a seven days holiday from March 17.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin and prime minister Tarique Rahman issued separate messages greeting the people of the country and Muslims worldwide.

The president said that the lessons of Eid would bring renewed inspiration in building a peaceful and prosperous nation.

‘The significance of Eid-ul-Fitr is immense in establishing a harmonious and prosperous state,’ he said.

The prime minister expressed hope that Eid would strengthen national unity, harmony and compassion.

‘Let us be inspired by the ideals of Eid and work together to build a humane, developed, peaceful and prosperous Bangladesh,’ he said.

He is also scheduled to exchange greetings with people, including party leaders, judges and foreign diplomats, at the state guest house Jamuna.

Different television channels and radio stations have arranged special programmes to mark the occasion.

FP/A