DHAKA, June 29, 2023 (BSS) – Eid-ul-Azha, the second biggest religious festival of the Muslims, was celebrated across the country today amid due solemnity and religious fervor with offering prayers at mosques and Eidgahs and sacrificing animals braving the monsoon rain.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages greeting the Muslims in the country and all over the world on the occasion of the Eid-ul-Azha.

The main congregation (jamaat) of the Eid-ul Azha was held at Jatiya Eidgah ground adjacent to the High Court under the arrangement of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) amid heavy rainfall.

Chief Justice Hasan Foez Siddique, Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh, Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Md Atiqul Islam, members of parliament, judges of the Supreme Court and High Court divisions, political leaders and senior government officials took part in the congregation.

Tejgaon Railway Jame Mosque Khatib and Islamic Foundation Secretary Dr Mawlana Mushtaq Ahmed conducted the main Eid jamaat while Bangladesh Betar's Kwari Md Emdadul Islam acted as mukabbir in the Eid jamaat.

After the jamaat, special prayers were offered seeking peace, progress and welfare of the people. Following the prayers, the devotees shook hands and embarrassed each other.

Like previous years, five congregations (jamaat) were held today at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in the capital.

The first Eid jamaat was held at 7 am while the next four jamaats were held at 8 am, 9 am, 10 am and 10.45am.

Eid congregation was held at the South Plaza of the Jatiya Sangsad (JS) Bhaban here at 8am.

Chief Whip of the Jatiya Sangsad Noor-E-Alam Chowdhury, Science and Technology Minister Architect Yafes Osman, Chairman of Parliamentary Standing Committee on Disaster Management and Relief AB Tajul Islam MP, Monwar Hossain Chowdhury MP, JS Speaker's husband Sayed Ishtiaq Hossain, Secretary of JS Secretariat KM Abdus Salam and others lawmakers, JS officials and employees and devotees from different areas attended the Eid Jamaat, said a press release.

In the Dhaka University, Eid Jamaats were held at the university’s central mosque -Masjidul Jamiya on the campus. 

The country’s largest Eid congregations were held at Gor-e-Shaheed Baro Maidan in Dinajpur and historic Sholakia ground in Kishoreganj.

Eid congregations were also held at mosques and Eidgahs across the country braving rainfall.

After offering prayers, devotees sacrificed cattle on the first day of Eid today according 

to their ability in the hope of attaining infinite grace of Almighty Allah. Some devotees will also slaughter cattle tomorrow, the second day of the Eid. 

Dhaka south and north city corporations began its activities to remove wastes of sacrificial animals within the 24-hour period from the city since this afternoon.

The corporation authorities requested the city dwellers to extend cooperation to their officials-employees to clean the city properly.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today greeted all Freedom Fighters (FFs) of the country on the occasion of the holy Eid-ul-Azha.

Like other occasions, the Premier sent flowers, fruits and sweetmeats to the war-wounded freedom fighters (FFs) and members of the martyred families at Martyred and War-wounded Freedom Fighters' Rehabilitation Centre (Muktijoddha Tower-1) at Gaznavi Road in the capital's Mohammadpur area as a mark of her good wishes for them.

PM's Assistant Personal Secretary-2 Gazi Hafizur Rahman Liku and Assistant Press Secretary ABM Sarwer-E-Alom Sarker handed over these items to them.

The war-wounded FFs and members of the martyred families thanked and expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for remembering them on every national day and festival like the Independence Day, the Victory Day, Eid and Pahela Baishakh.

Adequate security measures were taken by the law enforcement agencies to ensure law and order across the country, including the capital Dhaka marking the holy Eid-ul-Azha.

State-run Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar as well as other TV channels and radio stations broadcast special programmes on the occasion of the Eid-ul-Azha.

Improved diets were served to inmates of government hospitals, prisons, orphanages, safe homes and shelter centres.

Eid-ul-Azha is celebrated on the 10th of Zil Hajj month of the Hizri calendar 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 of sent a ram to be sacrificed.