The holy Eid-ul-Azha or the feast of sacrifice, one of the two blessed religious festivals of Muslims, will be celebrated in Bangladesh tomorrow with due solemnity and religious fervour.
A total of five Eid congregations will be held at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka. The first Eid jamaat will be held at 7am while the next four will be held at 8am, 9am, 10am and 10:45am, respectively, said Islamic Foundation.
The main Eid congregation, however, will be held at National Eidgah in Dhaka at 7:30am, said Dhaka South City Corporation. It said adequate preparation has been taken to hold the congregation even if it rains.
Besides, the country’s largest Eid congregation will be held at the Sholakia Eidgah Maidan in Kishoreganj at 9am Thursday.
To ensure foolproof security, three-tier security measures have been taken in and around the Eidgah, said Kishoreganj Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Abul Kalam Azad on Monday after inspecting the maidan.
Concerning Qurbani preparation, people are passing a busy time buying cows, goats and other sacrificial animals. Like last year, the number of animal sacrifices is likely to increase this year too even though people’s purchasing power has decreased due to rising inflation and the increased prices of animals.
The country has a stock of 21,41,594 surplus sacrificial animals than the demand this year, said Fisheries and Livestock Minister SM Rezaul Karim.
The potential demand for sacrificial animals this year is 1,03,94,739 but there are 1,25,36,333 sacrificial cattle across the country, he said at a recent press conference.
Last year, the number of sacrificial animals stood at 1,21,24,389, of which, 9,921,941 were sacrificed.
However, due to higher inflation in the country, higher prices of animals have put consumers under more strain and sales at the cattle markets are yet to see a rise.
According to the Bangladesh Bureau of Statistics, the inflation rate was 7.40-7.56 per cent in April-May last year. However, since August last year, inflation has risen to the highest level in the country’s history. The average inflation was about 10 per cent in May this year.
Eid-ul-Azha, the second-biggest religious festival of Muslims around the world, is celebrated on the 10th day of Zilhaj as Hazrat Ibrahim (AS), on this day, some 4,500 years ago, offered to sacrifice his beloved son Hazrat Ismail (AS), who willingly submitted to the will of his father to please Allah.
But the Almighty Allah in His benign mercy spared Hazrat Ismail (AS) and instead sent a ram to be sacrificed. To commemorate this historic event, Muslims across the country will offer prayers in congregations and sacrifice animals in the name of Allah.
Eid-ul-Azha is one of the most important Islamic days observed by Muslims around the world. The annual Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca, which is one of the main pillars of Islam, also culminates in the Eid-ul-Azha animal sacrifice.
On Eid day, the (sacrifice) festivities usually begin with the special Eid prayer at Eidgahs and mosques in the morning. It is followed by the sacrificial slaughter of livestock, usually a cow, goat or sheep.
The meat of this sacrifice is then distributed in three parts, one part for the family, one part for relatives and friends, and one part for the poor and needy people.
Eid holidays have been announced on June 28, 29 and 30. Considering Eid travel convenience, the government has also declared June 27 a holiday through an executive order. And since July 1 is a weekend, government employees are getting five consecutive days for Eid holidays.
President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have issued separate messages, greeting the Muslims in Bangladesh and all over the world on the occasion of the Eid-ul-Azha.
Meanwhile, adequate security measures have been taken by the law enforcement agencies to ensure law and order across the country centring the Eid. Law enforcers have also been asked to ensure smooth movement of vehicles on highways, waterways and train routes.
State-run Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar as well as other TV channels and radio stations will broadcast special programmes on the occasion of Eid.
On Eid day, improved diets will be served to inmates of government hospitals, prisons, orphanages, safe homes and shelter centres.
