Eid-ul-Fitr, the largest religious festival of Muslims, is being celebrated today amid religious fervor and enthusiasm after a month of fasting, reports BSS.
As the Shawwal moon was not sighted in Bangladesh on Wednesday evening, the Eid festival is being celebrated on Friday.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Moon Sighting Committee with state minister for Religious Affairs Faridul Haque Khan in the chair on Wednesday evening after reviewing the information of Shawwal moon sighting.
President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina greeted the nation in separate messages on the occasion of holy Eid-ul-Fitr.
Besides, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina addressed the nation at 7:15pm on Thursday.
This year, Eid is being celebrated in a different scenario without any outdoor programme and Eid jamaat at Eidgahs across the country due to the coronavirus pandemic.
The government has urged people to avoid Eidgah or other open places for Eid congregations and offer prayers at local mosques maintaining health guidelines.
The Ministry of Religious Affairs issued an emergency circular recently saying, “Although the Islamic Sharia encourages offering Eid prayer at Eidgah or open places, the devotees are now requested to offer their prayers at nearby mosques due to the Coronavirus situation.”
It also suggested disinfecting mosques before Eid prayers and advised against rolling out carpets on the floors.
The devotees have been urged to bring prayer mats from home. Other than that, arrangements should be made at entrances of the mosques for washing hands, the notification added.
The devotees must wear masks inside mosques and avoid using prayer mats and caps that were stored there.
Children, elderly people, people with physical ailments, and those taking care of the sick should not be allowed to attend jamaats.
Apart from these, the devotees were requested to avoid shaking hands and the customary hugging after the prayers.
With the risk of virus infections, thousands of people have already left the capital to celebrate Eid with their near and dear ones at their native homes.
In the capital, the main Eid congregation was held at the Baitul Mukarrom National Mosque. Five congregations will take place there, said Islamic Foundation.
The main city streets and road islands were decorated with the national flag and banners inscribed with ‘Eid Mubarak’ in both Bangla and Arabic.
Television channels and radio stations are telecasting special programmes.
Special diets were being served in hospitals, jails, government children’s homes, Chhotomoni Nibash, centres for persons with disabilities, shelter homes, orphanages, Vagrant Welfare and Destitute Welfare centres.
Both the city corporations have no formalities on the occasion of the Eid-ul-Fitr as there is no initiative to hold the Eid jammat on the open space, according to the officials of the Dhaka North and Dhaka South city corporation.
“No Eid congregation will be held on the open field under the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) area due to the Corona pandemic, said the DNCC sources, adding that DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam greeted the city dwellers marking the Eid festival.”