A large number of devotees take part in the Eid congregation at the old ground of international trade fair in the city’s Sher-e-Bangla Nagar on Monday.

| Md Saurav

Eid-ul-Fitr, one of the biggest religious festivals of the Muslims, was celebrated across Bangladesh with due solemnity, fervour and joy on Monday.

The celebration of Eid marked the end of Ramadan, the month of fasting and abstinence.

Millions of Muslims attended Eid congregations at mosques, eidgahs and prayer grounds in Dhaka and elsewhere.

The main congregation of the country was held at the National Eidgah in Dhaka about 8:30am.

The chief adviser to the government, Muhammad Yunus, said Eid prayers at the National Eidgah.

The chief adviser, in a brief speech before the prayers at the National Eidgah, extended greetings to people and urged all to remain united to build a new Bangladesh.

City dwellers take part in Eid procession that marches along different roads of the capital on the Eid day on Monday. — New Age photo

He also exchanged Eid greetings with dignitaries at the Chief Adviser’s Office at Tejgaon in Dhaka in the afternoon.

The president, Mohammed Shahabuddin, said Eid prayers at Bangabhaban.

An Eid congregation was held at the old venue of Dhaka International Trade Fair at Agargaon in Dhaka at 8:30am. This was for the first time an Eid congregation was held at the place.

After the prayers, a colourful Mughal-style procession was brought out from the place up to Manik Mia Avenue where a musical performance near the National Assembly Building rounded off the programme.

The Dhaka North City Corporation also organised a two-day Eid fair, featuring more than 200 stalls of craft and food at the Bangladesh-China Friendship International Conference Center, beginning on Eid day.

Five Eid congregations were held at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka between 7:00am and 10:45am.

Around 600,000 people said Eid prayers at the Sholakia ground in Kishoreganj the Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha reports, quoting the local administration.

In outlying areas, the main congregations were held at the Jamiatul Falah National Mosque in Chattogram at 8:00am, at Shahi Eidgah in Sylhet at 8:30am, at the Hazrat Shah Makhdum (Rahmatullah) Central Eidgah in Rajshahi at 8:00am, at the Circuit House ground in Khulna at 8:00am, at the Hemayetuddin Central Eidgah in Barishal at 8:00am, at the Collectorate Eidgah in Rangpur at 8:30am and at the Kachijhuli Anjuman Eidgah in Mymensingh at 8:00am.

A man guards the shops in Katabon area of the capital on Wednesday as they remain closed due to long Eid holidays. — New Age photo

Television channels and radio stations aired special programmes on the occasion.  

Roads in Dhaka, which remain busy at other times, remained almost free of traffic as several million people left the city to celebrate Eid with their family and friends in outlying areas. Many also left the capital city on Wednesday.

Thousands of people thronged recreational facilities and parks in and around the capital, including the National Zoo, Botanical Garden and Gazipur Safari Park.

Special meals were served at hospitals, jails, government children’s homes, centres for people with disabilities, shelter homes, orphanages and vagrant and destitute welfare centres.

People in some villages in Chandpur, Faridpur, Kurigram, Lalmonirhat, Chattogram, Jhenaidah and Bhola, however, celebrated Eid on Sunday, keeping to the celebrations in Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries.