The main congregation of Eid-ul-Azha, the  second largest religious festival of Muslims, will be held at the National Eidgah on the High Court premises at 8am on the Eid day. However, if weather remains unfavourable or the main congregation is not held at the National Eidgah for any other reason the main congregation will be held at 8:30 am at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque. Also read:No shortage of spices in market ahead of Eid: Spice Traders Association The decision was taken at an inter-ministerial meeting on Eid-ul-Azha celebrations headed by State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan at the Secretariat on Sunday. Depending on the sighting of the moon, the holy Eid-ul-Azha is expected to be celebrated on July 10. Also read: Traders urged to keep market stable ahead of Eid-ul-Azha

Five Eid jamaats will be held at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque from 7 am on the day of Eid-ul-Azha. Islamic Foundation, Bangladesh revealed the schedule in a press release on Sunday. Read: Local administration to take decision on Eid prayer: Govt The first Eid jamaat will be held at 7am and the next at 8am,9am, 10 am and 10:45 am. Eid-ul-Azha, the 2nd largest religious festival of the Muslims, will be celebrated in Bangladesh on July 21. This year local administrations in consultation with public representatives and local dignitaries will take decision whether  Eid prayers would be held at mosques, Eidghs or open fields considering the Covid situation in their respective areas and maintaining recommended health guidelines. The Religious Affairs Ministry issued some guidelines on offering  Eid-ul-Azha prayer on Tuesday. As per the guidelines, no carpet will be allowed at mosques and mosques will be disinfected before prayers. The devotees have been asked to bring prayer mats from home. Read:Covid lockdown: Govt issues mandatory guidelines for offering prayers at mosques The devotees must wear masks inside mosques and avoid using prayer mats and caps that were stored earlier there. It also suggested devotees to go to mosques with wadu and wash  their hands for 20 seconds with soap. Soaps, hand sanitizers and water should be available at the place where people make Wadu or at the entrance of mosques or Eidgahs. Devotees should maintain social distance following health guidelines. Children, elderly people, people with physical ailment, and those involved in taking care of patients will not be allowed to attend Eid prayer. All have to abide by the directives of the Health Service Division, local administration and law enforcement agencies. Read: Bangladesh eases lockdown restrictions ahead of Eid Besides, the devotees were requested to shun handshaking and hugging after the Eid prayer which has been a common practice throughout the world. The Religious Affairs Ministry urged Imams and managing committees of mosques to ensure proper implementation of the directives.

The Zilhajj moon has been sighted in Bangladesh and Eid-ul-Azha will be celebrated on July 21, the national moon sighting committee announced on Sunday. It said the month of Zilhajj will begin from July 12, Monday. The committee made the announcement at a meeting that reviewed information about the sighting of the Zilhajj moon received from across the country. Also read: Eid-ul-Azha: Moon Sighting Committee to meet Sunday State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan chaired the meeting at the Islamic Foundation's office at Baitul Mukarram. Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest religious festival of the Muslims, is celebrated on the 10th day of the holy month of Zilhajj. Saudi Arabia will celebrate Eid-ul-Azha on July 20 this year as the Zilhajj moon was not sighted in the country Friday.

No mosque in Dhaka, sometimes called the City of Mosques, has gone as far as cancelling Friday’s Jummah prayer. All that is really expected of them is to follow the government guidelines on social distancing amidst the coronavirus outbreak. Visiting two mosques in the capital, two different scenarios have been captured by the UNB photographers. A relatively small number of devotees at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque have offered Jummah prayer maintaining social distance.

There will be five Eid jamaats (congregations) at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque on the day of Eid-ul-Fitr. A handout issued by the mosque authorities revealed the schedule on Tuesday. The first Eid jamaat will be held at 7 am while the next four will be administered at 8 am , 9am, 10am, and 10:45am respectively. The National Moon Sighting Committee will meet on Wednesday evening to fix the date of Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival of Muslims. The Islamic Foundation issued a press release in this regard saying the meeting will be held at the foundation's Baitul Mukarram office after Maghrib prayers for reviewing information on the sighting of Shawwal moon. The  Religious Affairs Ministry has urged devotees to offer Eid prayer at their nearest mosques instead of Eidgah and open spaces maintaining recommended health guidelines amid the coronavirus pandemic. It also suggested disinfecting mosques before the Eid prayer and not rolling out carpets on the floors. The devotees have been asked to bring prayer mats from home. The devotees must wear masks inside mosques and avoid using prayer mats and caps that were stored earlier there. Children, elderly people, people with physical ailment, and those involved in taking care of the sick will not be allowed to attend the Eid prayer. Besides, the devotees were requested to shun handshaking and hugging after the prayer which has been a common practice during Eid throughout the world. The Religious Affairs Ministry urged Imams and managing committees of mosques to ensure proper implementation of the directives. Read How to celebrate EID safely during COVID-19 pandemic

Juma’atul Wida, the last Friday congregation of Muslims in the holy month of Ramadan, was observed in the country with due religious fervour. Thousands of devotees poured into mosques across the country to offer Juma’a prayers and sought divine blessings for the peace and progress of Bangladesh and the unity of the Muslim Ummah. In the capital, many Muslims flocked to Baitul Mukarram National Mosque where usually the largest Juma’atul Wida congregation is held. Unlike other years, the devotees were supposed to join prayers maintaining social distancing and other health rules as the country grapples with the second wave of Coronavirus. In many cases, the health protocols were not followed.

The government is going to take a strict stance to prevent all kind of anarchy and secure people’s lives and properties, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal said Sunday. He came up with the warning while talking to reporters at the secretariat. The warning came after a daylong Hefazat-e-Islam hartal protesting against, what it called “police action” on its ‘anti-Modi’ processions in Dhaka, Chattogram and other districts. Minister Kamal said some rowdy people and groups, spurred on by religious fanaticism, are destroying public properties in Chattogram, Brahmanbaria and other parts of the country. “I’m requesting them to stop,” he said, “otherwise, the government will take stern action.” Also read: Hefazat’s day-long hartal ends amid violence, clashes He said that the government has noticed some vested groups using orphans and minors to advance their own agenda. “In some places, small children and orphans were victimised. This is anarchism,” Kamal said. “We’ve observed them patiently, now we’ll resist them and bring them to book. Their tactics (hartal supporters) show that militants who triggered instability in the past, have joined hands to create sabotage,” he said, adding that no one will be spared. Responding to a question, the minister said that most of the students who study in madrasas come from poor background. “They’re being used and misled using the name of religion.” Hefazat announces fresh protest programme Hardline Islamist group Hefazat also held nationwide demonstrations on Saturday during which clashes with police left at least five people dead in Brahmanbaria. Also read: Hefazat announces ‘doa mahfil, demonstration’ for Monday On Friday, four people were killed and at least 15 others were injured in a clash between Hefazat supporters and police at Hathazari in Chattogram. On the same day, at least 50 people, including several journalists, were injured in a clash between Muslim devotees and police in Baitul Mukarram National Mosque area. Clashes erupted when police barred people from bringing out a procession after Jum’a prayers protesting against the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

At least 50 people, including several journalists, were injured in a clash between Muslim devotees and police in the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque area on Friday afternoon. Clashes erupted when police barred people from bringing out a procession after Jum’a prayers protesting against the visit of Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi. After the Jum’a prayers, many devotees started shouting slogans near the north gate of the mosque against Modi’s arrival, prompting police to fire rubber bullets and charge batons. Also read: Modi visit: Protesters clash with cops at Motijheel; 20 injured Jubo League and Chhatra League activists were also seen around the mosque during the clash. Two motorcycles were set afire in front of the north gate of the mosque where the clashes continued till 2:30pm. UNB Correspondent M Jahangir Alam was hit by a rubber bullet while reporting from the site. Clashes broke out again at the south gate of the mosque and continued till 3:30pm. Three motorcycles were set ablaze this time.

Six Eid-ul-Azha congregations will be held at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque from  7am on the Eid day.

The National Moon Sighting Committee will meet on Saturday evening to decide the date of Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival of Muslims.