Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest religious festival of Muslims, will be celebrated in Bangladesh on Wednesday with Covid-19’s Delta variant wreaking havoc across the country, shattering death records almost every day. Bangladesh is now battling the deadlier 2nd wave of Covid-19 with over 200 deaths on average over the last two weeks. Concerns are growing among people over possible hike in Covid deaths and cases after the celebrations of Eid-ul-Azha as the movement of people increased remarkably after the withdrawal of the strict lockdown ahead of Eid. A large number of people left the capital in crowded vehicles ignoring the Covid transmission risk. Eid-ul-Azha is celebrated on the 10th of Zilhaj to commemorate the true spirit of sacrifice made by Prophet Ibrahim (AS). On this day, Prophet Ibrahim had offered to sacrifice his son, Ismail, 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. Also read: Bangladesh loses 200 more lives amid its grim battle with Covid Meanwhile, the government has taken various safety measures to make that the celebration does not help the pandemic worsens further. This year, Eid jamaats in different areas across the country would be held as per decisions taken by local administrations in consultation with public representatives and local dignitaries depending upon 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 while mosques will be disinfected before prayers. 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.   Also read: Gazipur gridlocked amid pandemic as hundreds head home for Eid It also suggested devotees go to mosques with ablution and wash their hands for 20 seconds with soap. Soaps, hand sanitizers and water should be available at the place where people make ablution at the entrance of mosques or Eidgahs. Devotees should maintain distance from each other 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 administrations and law enforcement agencies. Besides, the devotees were advised to shun handshaking and hugging after the Eid prayer which has been a common practice throughout the world. The Religious Affairs Ministry urged the imams and managing committees of mosques to ensure proper implementation of the directives.  Also read: Five Eid jamaats to be held at National Mosque The Ministry of Fisheries and Livestock issued specific guidelines over sacrificing animals. Local administrations, law enforcement agencies, public representatives, staffers of the Islamic Foundation and managing committees of mosques would be implementing the directives. Eid jamaats at national mosque Five Eid jamaats will be held at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque from 7 am on the day of Eid-ul-Azha. The Islamic Foundation, Bangladesh revealed the schedules in a media release on Sunday. The first Eid jamaat will be held at 7am and the next at 8am, 9am, 10 am and 10:45 am.

The government has enforced a fresh strict lockdown for eight days from Wednesday in an effort to stop the spread of the deadly Coronavirus. Under the fresh lockdown all government, semi-government, autonomous, private offices and financial institutions will remain closed but the officers and employees will have to stay in their respective work stations. The Cabinet division issued a notification in this regard on Monday. The lockdown will remain in force from 6:00 am Wednesday (April 14) till April 21 midnight. But the employees and staff of air, maritime and river and land ports will remain out of the preview of the lockdown. All modes of public transports, including those of road, river, railway and air, will remain suspended during the lockdown. But Emergency services, carrying of goods, production services will remain out of the purview of the restriction. Also read: Ongoing lockdown extended upto Apr 13: Quader However, the restriction will not be effective in the case of carrying goods, emergency services and production. But industries and factories will remain open on condition of maintaining health protocols. The offices, staffers and vehicles of the organisations providing emergency services, including law enforcement, agricultural products (fertilizer, seeds, pesticides, machinaris), crops, food laden vehicles, relief distribution, health services, health workers involved in mass innoculation, power, water, gas, fire services, port activities, media (print and electronic media), private security mangement, telephone, and postal services will remain out of the purview of the restriction. People’s movement will be restricted and no one will be allowed to go outside except for emergency needs (to purchase medicines, daily essentials, to take medical services and burial/ cremation of dead bodies, taking Covid-19 jabs etc). Factories, industries to operate All industries and factories will be allowed to continue their operation following health guidelines and the respective industries must take measures to carry their employees in their own vehicles. Hotels and restaurants to remain open Hotels and restaurants can operate with takeaway/online services only from 12 pm to 7 pm and 12 am to 6 am. No one will be allowed to have food sitting in hotels or restaurants. All shopping malls and markets will remain closed during this period. Also read: Police to issue movement pass during lockdown Daily essential items including kitchen items can be sold and purchased from open spaces from 9 am to 3 pm to maintain health protocols. Local administrations and the authorities concerned will ensure it. The government imposed an apparently lose nationwide lockdown for one week from April 5 as part of its tougher move to contain the spike in both coronavirus infections and fatalities. But the government allowed the resumption of public transport in city corporation areas from April 7 as well as reopening shops and shopping malls for five days from April 9 in the face of protests against the lockdown. The lockdown remained in force until April 13 (Tuesday).