The nation goes into a vacation for Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival of Muslims, starting from today. The members of the national moon sighting committee will sit in a meeting this evening at the Islamic Foundation at Baitul Mukarram to review the information of the Shawal moon sighting.
As per the decision of the meeting, the holy Eid will be celebrated either on Friday or Saturday amid religious zeal and enthusiasm after a month-long abstinence. The 48-hour shut down called by Bangla-desh Jamaat-e-Islami from 6am on August 13 might enable many people to stay with their families across the country.
Meanwhile, all preparations for holding the Eid congregations and celebrations have been completed all over the country, including capital Dhaka, port city Chittagong and Sholakia Eidgah in Kishoreganj where the largest Eid congregation will be held.
In the capital, the main Eid congregation will be held at the National Eidgah near the High Court at 8:30am. Khatib of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque Prof Maulana M Salahuddin will lead the prayer. In case of inclement weather, the main congregation will be held at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque at 9am. Besides, five congregations will be held at 7am, 8am, 9am, 10am and 11am at the National Mosque.
Like the previous year, arrangements have been made at the National Eidgah and the National Mosque so that women can take part in the Eid prayers alongside their male counterparts. The devotees in-tended to take part in Eid congregations at the National Eidgah have requested not to bring camera, mobile and vanity bag with them.
Eid congregations will be held in all Maidans, including Armanitola, Dhopkhola, and most of the mosques in the country.
The national flag will be hoisted atop government and non-government office buildings on Eid day. The main city streets and road islands will be decorated with the national flags and banners inscribed ‘Eid Mubarak’ in Bangla and Arabic. The state-owned television and private channels will telecast special programmes on the occasion.
Special diet will be served in hospitals, jails, government child families, Chotomoni Nibash, centres for disabled people, shelter homes, orphanages, vagrant welfare and destitute welfare centres.
Eid, marking the completion of a month-long abstinence through daytime fasting, will also be cele-brated in Bangladesh missions abroad.
President Abul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and leader of the opposition Khaleda Zia issued separate messages greeting the people on the occasion.
Meanwhile, tight security measures have been taken to ensure safe Eid congregations throughout the country, including the capital.
President Abdul Hamid will offer his Eid-ul-Fitr prayers along with hundreds of people from all walks of life at the National Eidgah Maidan in the capital at 8.30am on the Eid day. After offering the Eid prayer, the President is scheduled to exchange greetings with the top tire of the government, elite of the soci-ety and diplomats at Bangabhaban.
At first, the president will exchange greetings with the foreign diplomats at 10 am. Later, eminent citi-zens including high civil and military officials will exchange pleasantries with the president from 10:30am to 11:30 am.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will exchange Eid greetings with a cross-section of people on Eid day. According to the official schedule, the prime minister will first exchange greetings with a cross-section of people at the main entrance of Ganobhaban at 9:30 am. Later, at 11:30am, she will exchange Eid greetings with diplomats, judges, senior civil and military officials and party leaders at the Ganobha-ban.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia will exchange greetings with diplomats and cross-section of people at Bangabandhu International Conference Centre from 10:30am.
