The holy Eid-ul-Azha, one of the major religious festivals of the Muslims, was celebrated on Wednesday across the country amid growing concerns about the highly infectious Delta variant of the coronavirus.
With the latest festival, Muslims observed four Eid celebrations in 2020 and 2021 in a subdued mood due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The traditional Eid congregation in the capital's National Eidgah ground was scrapped in view of the outbreak, reports BSS.
The main Eid congregation was held at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in the city at 7:00 am followed by the second, third and fourth Eid Jammat at 8:00 am, 9:00 am and 10:00 am there respectively.
The fifth and last Eid Jammat was held at 10:45 am.
During these congregations, Muslims offered special prayers seeking continued peace and development of the nation as well as global peace, recovery of those suffering from COVID-19 and salvation of the dead.
President M Abdul Hamid offered Eid-ul-Azha prayers at the Hallway of the Bangabhaban along with his family members and some officials.
The head of the state offered his Eid prayers at the Presidential palace with maintaining health rules, including wearing a facemask and maintaining social distancing.
The Eid jamaat was held at 8.30 am
Like the previous occasions, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Wednesday greeted all freedom fighters on the occasion of the holy Eid-ul-Azha.
The Prime Minister sent flowers, fruits and sweetmeats to the war-wounded freedom fighters and members of the martyred families at the War-wounded Freedom Fighters' Rehabilitation Centre (Muktijoddha Tower-I) on Gaznavi Road in the capital's Mohammadpur area as a mark of her good wishes for them.
Eid Jamaat was also held throughout the country with maintaining physical distancing and health protocols set by the government.
The Eid Jamaat of Sholakia Maidan, a hundred-year-old historical Eid congregation, was scrapped this year for likewise the previous year due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
After offering prayers at the national mosque, Dhaka South City Corporation Mayor Barrister Sheikh Fazle Noor Taposh expressed his hope that the sacrificial animals' wastes will be removed in the corporation area within the next 24 hours.
"We have taken various steps for removing the wastes and expected to remove within the next 24 hours," the mayor said while talking to journalists after Eid prayers.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister and Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader extend Eid greetings to the people and his party leaders and workers at his official residence on Wednesday.
He urged the people to abide by the health guidelines and other rules, set by the government saying all must keep in mind that the Eid celebration should not be allowed to turn into sadness.
Muslims across the world celebrate the Eid-ul-Azha on the 10th day of Zilhajj month of the Hijri calendar as Hazrat Ibrahim (AS), on this day, offered to sacrifice his beloved son Hazrat Ismail (AS) who willingly submitted to the will of his father to please Almighty Allah some 4,500 years back.
But the Almighty in His benign mercy spared Hazrat Ismail (AS) and instead of that sent a ram to be sacrificed.
To commemorate this historic event, Muslims across the world offer prayers in congregations and sacrifice animals in the name of Almighty Allah on the day. They also offer special prayer seeking divine blessings for peace, progress, prosperity and welfare of the Muslim Ummah.
The government has declared three days of official holiday-on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday marking the Eid-ul-Azha.
The government officials and employees have, however, been asked to stay at their respective workstations during the Eid holidays.
Adequate security measures were taken for the peaceful and smooth celebration of the holy Eid-ul-Azha.
State-run Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar as well as other TV channels and radio stations aired special programmes on the occasion of the Eid-ul-Azha.
On the day, improved diets were served to inmates of the government hospitals, prisons, orphanages, safe homes and shelter centres.
