EID IN BANGLADESH
The two Eids (Eid-ul-Fitr and Eid-ul-Azha) are the main festivals of Bangladeshis. Nothing impacts the whole nation with the same extent and magnitude as the two Eids. They also contribute in maintaining social and family bondage, help establish equity between poor and rich, and play a very important role in the cultural and literary development of the country.
Eid-ul-Fitr comes after month long fasting of the holy Ramadan. The festivity of Eid-ul-Fitr starts from the beginning of Ramadan and ends with the Eid. During the Ramadan most people pay their Zakat, a 2.5% share of the poor in the wealth of the rich, to the poor. This helps the poor participate in the festival. It is a religious obligation on the day to pay fitra to the poor at a fixed rate. Fitra helps the poor to participate in the festival of Eid-ul-Fitr.
Eid-ul Azha is popularly known as Kurbanir Eid or Bakra Eid in Bangladesh. Eid-ul Azha commemorates the sacrifice of Hazrat Ibrahim (A), who had been asked by Almighty Allah to sacrifice his dearest son Hazrat Ismail (A) and with the consent of his son Hazrat Ibrahim (A) arranged everything to implement Allah's order at a place called Mina near Mokka in solar year 3800. Allah was satisfied by Hazrat Ibraim's sincere intent and ordered him to sacrifice an animal in place of his son.
This Eid is marked by sacrificing animals and distributing the meat among relatives and poor. One-third of the meat of the sacrificed animal is kept for the owner, one third is given to his/her relatives and the rest is distributed among the poor. This gives an opportunity to the rich to discharge a responsibility to the poor and also helps in development of cordiality between the rich and the poor. The hide or the money received after its sale is given to the poor or to the poor students of madrasahs and orphanages.
On the Eid day everyone tries to dress well and prepare improved foods according to their ability. Relatives and neighbours also share the joys of this festival.
Muslims perform two rakats of Eid prayer on the day and exchange greetings with all. They exchange salam and greetings by embracing one another irrespective of status or age. They also visit the graves of the relatives and pious Muslims. Nowadays exchange of Eid cards and SMS have come in vogue.
The government declares holiday for three days on the occasion. People who live in towns but have their families or parents in villages go to their country homes to meet relatives and celebrate the festival together.
Congregational prayers are held in all rural and urban places. In Dhaka, the Eid congregations are held at the national Eidgah, all major mosques including the Baitul Mukarram. The biggest congregation of the country is held at Sholakia in Kishoreganj, where about half a million people join the Eid prayer.
Eid fairs are organised at many rural places. These fairs are basically gatherings that promote friendship among the rural people. The fairs are arranged on the bank of a river or under a big banyan tree near the local bazaar. Handicraft items and foodstuffs such as chira, muri, khai, manda, and sweets are sold in the fairs. Nakshi pankha, dolls, and decorated pottery as well as musical instruments such as flute, drum, Ektara are also sold. Some fairs have merry-go-rounds, puppet shows and bioscopes. In addition, shows of spiritual songs such as Marfati and Murshidi are also staged in the Eid fairs. In some areas of the riverine Bangladesh boat races are organised. Arrangement of prizes for boats that win the races are specially encouraged. The rich people of the villages give the prizes.
In some rural areas sports competitions are also organised on this occasion. Games like hadudu, Kabadi, and dariabanda entertain the spectators. Football and cricket matches are also organised. These games create a festive atmosphere. After enjoying the fanfare of the Eid festival, people return to their work places with renewed enthusiasm.
The two Eids helps maintain the family and social bondage in the country. Those who hail from countryside and stay in the cities go back to meet their family members and celebrate the festival of 'Eid-ul-Fitr' with them during the last days of Ramadan.
Eids play a very important role in the cultural and literary development of Bangladesh. Daily newspapers, weeklies and other periodicals publish special issues rich with novels, stories and poems. Some magazines publish special issue on Eid fashion. Dozens of new Bangla movies are released on the occasion of Eid. TV channels take special arrangement to mark the Eid by broadcasting their most attractive programmes during for several days starting from the Eid day. Drama and film by Humayun Ahmed, the most popular novelist and movie makers of Bangladesh, Imdadul Haque Milon and others, magazine programmers like 'Ittayadi' by Hanif Sanket some of the most enjoyed Eid TV programmes since years.
Although these are religious festivals of the Muslims, people from other religion also participate in it by accepting invitations from their Muslim friends, neighbours and colleagues.
