Eid-ul-Azha Tuesday

The holy Eid-ul-Azha, the second biggest religious festival of the Muslims, will be celebrated across the country on Tuesday with due solemnity and religious fervour.

On the occasion, the Muslims across the country will offer prayers in congregations and sacrifice animals in the name of Almighty Allah, BSS reports.

They will offer munajat seeking divine blessings for peace, progress and prosperity of the country as well as welfare of the Muslim Ummah.

The Eid-ul-Azha is celebrated on the 10th of Zilhajj 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 in His benign mercy spared Hazrat Ismail (AS) and instead sent a ram to be sacrificed.

To commemorate this historic event, the Muslims all over the world slaughter sacrificial animals and draw inspiration from the unique example of sacrifice to please Allah as shown by two great prophets -- Hazrat Ibrahim (AS) and Hazrat Ismail (AS).

President Abdul Hamid , Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Opposition leader of the Parliament Begum Rawshan Ershad will issue separate messages, greeting the Muslims in Bangladesh and all over the world on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha.

The President and the Prime Minister would exchange Eid greetings with people of all walks of life including judges and foreign diplomats at Bangabhaban and Gano Bhaban in the morning.

Different political, social and cultural organizations leaders also have greeted the people of the country on the occasion of the holy Eid-ul Azha.

Meanwhile, millions of people are leaving the capital and other major cities to celebrate Eid with their near and dear ones in the countryside.

Railway stations were seen overcrowded for the last few days as were bus and launch terminals as home-goers heading for their destinations. Makeshift cattle markets in the city as elsewhere have been witnessing a rush of buyers for sacrificial animals.

Special arrangement has been made by the public private transport companies including Bangladesh Railway, BRTC, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC), Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) for smooth travelling of huge number of homebound people.

A four-day Eid holiday begins from Sunday. Newspaper offices would also remain closed for three days until September14.

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

The national flag would be flown atop government and non-government buildings and roadside poles to mark the festival.

Outlying city corporations and district and upazila administrations have drawn up similar programmes to celebrate Eid.

On the day, improved diets will be served at government hospitals, prisons, orphanages, safe homes and shelter centers.

Meanwhile, country's biggest Eid congregation will be at Solakhia Eidgah Maidan in Kishorganj at 9am. Special train and buses will run for convenience of the people for participating at the largest Eid congregation.