Eid-ul-Fitr
Bangladesh celebrates Eid as pandemic fades
Bangladesh on Tuesday celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr, one of the important religious festivals of the Muslims that marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, with religious fervour.
Devotees offered Eid Jamaat at permanent and makeshift Eidgah maidans across the country, including in Dhaka, after a hiatus of two years due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
In the capital, the main Eid congregation was held at National Eidgah Maidan at 8am. Along with several politicians, Dhaka South City Corporation mayor Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh was present at the Eid Jamaat.
In Chattogram, two Eid congregations were held at Jamiyatul Falah Masjid Eidgah in the city at 8am and 9am, respectively.
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Deputy minister for education Mohibul Hasan Chowdhury, city Awami League president Mahtab Uddin Chowdhury, general secretary AZM Nasir Uddin, former city mayor Mir Nasir, and city Jatiya Party chairman Solaiman Alam offered Eid prayers at Jamiyatul Falah Masjid Eidgah.
In Barishal, the main Eid Jamaat in the city was held at Hemayetuddin Central Eidgah Maidan at 8.30am.
Barishal city mayor Serniabat Sadiq Abdullah, divisional commissioner Amin-ul-Ahsan, deputy commissioner Jashim Uddin Haider, and city Awami League president AKM Jahangir, among others, attended the Eid congregation.
Celebrate Eid adhering to Covid-safety protocols: President Hamid
President Abdul Hamid on Tuesday urged people to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr adhering to all Covid-safety protocols "as the (coronavirus) situation may deteriorate any time".
"The (coronavirus) situation may deteriorate any time if people do not become aware of their movement and lifestyle at this moment," Hamid said.
The President said these while conveying Eid greetings to the countrymen through media at Bangabhaban’s Credential Hall after offering Eid prayers this morning.
Due to the Covid pandemic, no religious festival of any community, including Eid, could be celebrated and enjoyed in the expected joyous atmosphere in the last two years, Hamid said.
The President said the corona situation at present is very much under control, "so it is normal that people will have a tendency to enjoy unbridled joy now".
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"But you have to keep in mind one thing. The Covid-19 pandemic is under control but this lethal disease has not completely disappeared. Corona infections are on the rise again in many parts of the world. We must not invite danger while indulging in joy during the Eid celebrations," he said.
Hamid also urged the people to share the joy of Eid with all, rich and poor alike.
Noting that the current government is making continuous efforts to put a smile on the face of every citizen of the country, he said, "Before the Eid-ul-Fitr, 32,904 landless and homeless families were given houses as a gift from PM Sheikh Hasina."
"Everyone's pledge on this Eid-ul-Fitr is to make everyone smile by building a hunger-free, poverty-free and happy-prosperous Bangladesh," the President added.
Earlier, President Hamid offered Eid prayers at Durbar Hall of Bangabhaban.
The Eid jamaat (congregation) at Bangabhaban was held in the morning (9:30 am), President's press secretary Md Joynal Abedin told UNB.
The President usually attends the traditional Eid prayers in capital's National Eidgah Maidan but like the last two years, the programme has been scrapped due to the rise of Covid cases in some countries.
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Eid brings little joy for the poor in Gaibandha chars
Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival of Muslims, means happiness and festivity: People buy new dresses and enjoy the day with special dishes.
But not so for over three lakh families in the 165 char areas ( river shoals) of Gaibandha district. They are too poor to buy new dresses and make special meal for the festival.
This year too there won’t be any joy as the char people can hardly manage three meals a day. Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated in Bangladesh on Tuesday.
Eid means no special day for them as most of the people in the char areas are jobless and landless.
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It is difficult for them to arrange good food and new dresses on the occasion of Eid.
They have no lands of their own and so they migrate to different districts to work as day labourers.
The char people are deprived of their basic needs including education, work, food, health and shelter. The residents are living in abject poverty.
Besides, they struggle to survive are natural disasters like flood are common.
They are also deprived of getting any relief under government programmes.
There are four chars along the Teesta river—Kapasia, Belka, Sripur and Haripur in Sundarganj upazila of the district.
During a recent visit to Kapasia char, north-east of Gaibandha district town, this correspondent spoke with some families.
The residents of Lalchamar village claimed that they did not receive any relief materials.
As a result, the men have to go to different other districts during paddy harvesting season to work as day labourers to earn a livelihood.
Moyna Begum, a woman of the village, said her husband Moynul Mia had gone out for work and did not return yet. “I could not buy anything for my three children for Eid. My husband has promised to return soon and buy everything.”
The condition of many day labourers' families in Haldia of Saghata upazila, Phulchhari, Gazaria, Uria, Kanchipara of Phulchhari upazila, Kamarjani, Mollarchar, Arendabari of Gaibandha Sadar upazila and 16 unions of the district is no better.
People of the char areas in a group had gone to other districts where they stay for months.
On the night before Eid, they usually return home to celebrate the festival with their families.
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Ainul Haque from Lalchamar Char said this year too many people from the char areas have gone to many brick kilns and paddy fields but they are yet to return home.
The women from many of such families could manage to buy sugar and vermicelli, a special Eid food, after taking loans. They hardly can manage to get pulao and meat or buy new dresses for their children.
Saiduzzaman, chairman of Mollarchar union of Sadar upazila, said it is difficult to meet the demand of all with whatever little relief received from the government.
Aminuzzaman Rinku, chairman of Ghagoa union, said the people of char areas have no job and most of the time the male person of a family remains out of home for work in other districts.
Eid here does not bring anything special for them, he said.
Rain likely to dampen Eid celebrations
Bangladesh Metorological Department forecast rain in different areas across the country on the day of Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival of Muslims.
“ On Tuesday, the day of Eid-ul-Fitr, showers are likely to occur more or less everywhere across the country ,” said Hafizur Rahman, a meteorologist of Bangladesh Meteorological Department.
In the next 24 hours rain or thundershowers with intense lightning flashes and temporary gusty or squally wind is likely to occur at a few places over Rangpur, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Dhaka, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram & Sylhet divisions with hails at isolated places, said BMD in a bulletin.
Also read: Shawwal moon not sighted in Bangladesh, Eid on Tuesday
BMD forecast says day temperature may fall slightly and night temperature may remain nearly unchanged over the country during the time.
The maximum temperature in the country was recorded at 36.6 °C at Mongla on Sunday.
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PM wishes joyous and safe Eid to all
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has conveyed greetings to all on the occasion of Eid-Ul-Fitr.
In a video message on Sunday, the premier said, “Let us share the joy and happiness of Eid-ul-Fitr among us all."
Hasina urged all to devote themselves to the welfare of country and its people from their respective positions imbued with the glory of Eid-ul-Fitr.
Also read: Shawwal moon not sighted in Bangladesh, Eid on Tuesday
“Stay well and be safe, Eid Mubarak,” she said.
Bangladesh will celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr on Tuesday as the Shawwal moon was not sighted here on Sunday evening.
The decision was announced after a meeting of the National Moon Sighting Committee that reviewied the information of Shawwal moon sighting at the Baitul Mukarram office of Islamic Foundation.
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Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival of Muslims, comes after a month of fasting.
2 sisters found dead after father takes them out for Eid shopping
Two sisters were found dead on Sunday two days after their father took them with him promising to buy dresses for Eid-ul-Fitr in Sundarganj upazila of Gaibandha.
Police recovered the bodies of Hashi,12, and Khushi,13 from the Teesta River at Haripur village on Sunday after they remained missing for the last two days, Iftekharul Mokaddem, officer-in-Charge of Sundarganj police station.
Aduri Begum, mother of the two girls, alleged that their father and her ex-husband Hamidur Rahman, resident of Kani Charitabari village, killed the two girls.
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Aduri Begum said she was living with her two daughters at her father’s house in Bajra village in Kurigram since Hamidul divorced her over a family fued.
“Two days ago Hamidul came to Bajra and took Hashi and Khushi saying he would buy Eid dresses for them. But they remained missing since then,”said Aduri Begum.
Meanwhile, locals of Haripur village on Sunday noon found the floating bodies of the two girls in the river and informed police.
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OC Iftekharul Mokaddem,” We are investigating the matter. It might be a murder incident as the father remained absconding since the recovery of the bodies.”
Over 73 lakh mobile SIM users left Dhaka in 4 days to celebrate Eid
Over 73 lakh SIM subscribers of different mobile operators have left Dhaka for their respective village homes in the last four days to celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr with their near and dear ones.
A total of 43,09,216 SIM subscribers have left the capital in the last two days, Posts,Telecommunications and Information Technology Minister Mustafa Jabbar shared the information through a Facebook post on Sunday.
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Shawwal moon not sighted in Bangladesh, Eid on Tuesday
Bangladesh will celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr on Tuesday as the Shawwal moon was not sighted in Bangladesh on Sunday evening.
“The Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated on Tuesday as Shawwal moon was sighted nowhere in 64 districts of the country,” said State Minister for Religious Affairs Faridul Haque Khan on Sunday.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Moon Sighting Committee after reviewing the information of Shawwal moon sighting at the Baitul Mukarram office of Islamic Foundation.
Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival of Muslims, will be celebrated after a month of fasting
Also read: DMP to devotees: Bring nothing but prayer mats and umbrellas at National Eidgah
The main congregation of Eid-ul-Fitr will be held at 8:30am at the National Eidgah on the High Court premises in the capital on the Eid day.There will be five Eid jamaats (congregations) at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque on the day.
The largest Eid congregation at Sholakia Eidgah Maidan in Kishoreganj will be held at 10am on Eid day, after a Covid-induced hiatus of two years.
Thousands of people have already left the capital to celebrate the festival with their near and dear ones at their respective village homes.
Also read: Eid-ul-Fitr being celebrated in two Chandpur villages
DMP to devotees: Bring nothing but prayer mats and umbrellas at National Eidgah
Dhaka Metropolitan Police Commissioner Md Shafiqul Islam has asked the devotees to bring only prayer mats and umbrellas when they join the main Eid-ul-Fitr congregation at National Eidgah.
The DMP commissioner said on Sunday “This is for security as a four tier measure has been ensured at the National Eidgah for the congregation.”
He was briefing the press about the security arrangements in the area for Eid-ul-Fitr.
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While replying to a question the DMP chief said “There is no threat of militant attack at the main Eid congregation."
“This year DMP will ensure safety in1,468 Eid jamaats to be held across Dhaka in small and large mosques, eidgahs” he added.
He said “Bomb disposal unit will sweep the whole area before the beginning of Eid jamaat at National Eidgah and it will remain under CCTV camera surveillance.”
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The DMP commissioner requested the worshipers to come to the congregation at the Eidgah before the scheduled time as it will take time to go through the checking.
He said similar security measures would be taken if the main congregation of Eid is held at Baitul Mukarram in case of inclement weather.
Eid-ul-Fitr being celebrated in two Chandpur villages
Residents of Shadra and Shamserpur villages in Hajiganj upazila of Chandpur district are celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr on Sunday in line with the celebration in Afghanistan, Niger and Mali.
The main congregation of Eid-ul-Fitr was held at the Shadra Darbar Sharif Madrasah premises at 10:30 am led by Pir of Darbar Sharif Mufti Allama.
Dr Mufti Baki Billah Mishkat Chowdhury, head pir of the Darbar Sharif told UNB, “ As per Hanafi, Maliki and Hambli if the moon is sighted in the western part of the earth and the news reaches the eastern part of the earth through reliable means, then fasting is Farz (obligatory) for Muslims in the eastern part and Eid is also obligatory or wajib”.
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“As the moon was sighted in Afghanistan, Niger and Mali on Saturday and we received the news through a reliable source we are celebrating Eid today. Besides, Eid Jamaat was also held at Khanka, Askona at Sadarghat area in Dhaka and Badarpur Darbar Sharif in Patuakhali,” he said.