The Christian community celebrates Christmas Day in Bangladesh today with festivity commemorating the birthday of Jesus Christ as elsewhere in the world, reports BSS.
The Christians of different groups will celebrate the festival amid merriment and festivity religious fervor offering special prayers, illuminating churches, installing makeshift Christmas trees at homes and places of worship and missions.
Elder people of the community, attired in the outfit of Santa Claus, make fun with children and distribute gifts as part of a universal Christian practice.
In separate messages, President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina greeted members of the Christian community on this occasion.
In his message, President Hamid called for further consolidating the tradition of religious harmony in the country.
He said Jesus Christ had invited the derailed people to the path of truth and justice.
The path of salvation lies in love, services, forgiveness, compassion and sympathy, added the President.
He said Bangladesh is a country of communal harmony where the people are tied with the bond of love and friendship.
He lauded the contribution of the Christian community to the development of education and society in the country.
The President called upon all to work together to build a happy, prosperous and non-communal Bangladesh.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, called upon the people irrespective of caste, creed and religion to come forward to expedite the development activities in the country.
"One of the goals of Jesus Christ was to establish justice and peace in the world to make an exploitation-free society," she said, adding that Great Christ had sacrificed for the endangered and hungry people.
"Bangladesh is a country of communal harmony. People of all classes are enjoying full freedom in exercising their respective religious activities," the Prime Minister added.
She hoped that the Christmas will further strengthen the relations between the Christians and the people of other communities.
Churches have been illuminated, Christmas trees set up and candles lit at homes and churches by the Christian community to celebrate the event with due religious fervour.
Santa Clause will distribute, according to the tradition, sweets and gifts to children in churches on the occasion. This is a great 'day of days' for children in the Christian community, who sing carols on the occasion in praise of Jesus Christ and God, and exchange gifts.
The day is a public holiday.
The national dailies will publish special articles marking the Christmas.
Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar and private radio stations and TV channels will air special Christmas programmes.