BSS-42 Eid-ul-Fitr to be celebrated on Monday

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ZCZC

BSS-42

EID-UL-FITR-MONDAY-LEAD

Eid-ul-Fitr to be celebrated on Monday

DHAKA, May 23, 2020 (BSS) – The holy Eid-ul-Fitr, one of the
greatest religious festivals of Muslims, will be celebrated on Monday
as moon of the Shawwal month of 1441 Hijri was not sighted in the sky
of the country today.

“The holy Eid-ul-Fitr will be observed on Monday ,Insha’Allah, as
the moon of Shawwal month of 1441 Hijri was not sighted today in the
skyline of the country,” Religious Affairs Secretary Md Nurul Islam
told a briefing at the conference room of Islamic Foundation at Baitul
Mokarram National Mosque here this evening.

He said the National Moon Sighting Committee took the decision at
its meeting this evening after evaluating data and reports from all
the district administrations, offices of Islamic Foundation,
Bangladesh Meteorological Department and Space Research and Remote
Sensing Organisation.

Earlier, Nurul Islam presided over the National Moon Sighting
Committee meeting at the conference room of Islamic Foundation in the
Baitul Mukarram National Mosque here after Maghrib prayers.

Eid-ul-Fitr is Arabic word meaning “festival of breaking of the
fast”. The festival marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of
Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Muslims abstain from
eating and drinking from dawn to dusk during the holy Ramadan.

On the Eid day morning, Muslims gather at mosques and prayer venues
to perform Eid prayers and greet each other. The festival is
celebrated by visiting friends and relatives, hosting food parties and
sharing sweets.

Children not only get new clothes and shoes, but also receive cash
gifts called “Salami” from their elders, relatives and well-wishers.

The occasion is seen as a time of forgiveness and of giving thanks
to Allah for helping people to complete their month-long spiritual
fasting. Many Muslims distribute cash and food to the less fortunate
ones.

But, this year, the Eid-ul-Fitr is going to be celebrated in a
different outlook as the government has imposed a strict restriction
on all the social gathering and urged the Muslim devotees to celebrate
the Eid with only family members indoors instead of visiting
relatives’ houses and outing around in the awake of the global
COVID-19 pandemic.

The Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) on Friday issued a 14-point
instruction for Muslim devotees and mosque committees in observance of
the Eid-ul-Fitr.

It called upon the city dwellers to celebrate the Eid-ul-Fitr with
family members at home and advised all to refrain from visiting
relatives, neighbours, and entertainment spots in the city in a bid to
contain the spread of coronavirus.

The instruction also said devotees would have to perform ablution
from home before coming for Eid prayers, instead of using ablution
room of the mosques.

Earlier, on May 14, the Religious Affairs Ministry issued a
circular asking the authorities concerned to hold Eid Jamaat of the
Eid-ul-Fitr at nearby mosques instead of Eidgahs or open space aiming
to contain the spread of coronavirus.

The minister also urged the Muslim devotees not to hug each other
after Eid-ul-Fitr prayers, which is the common scenario of the Eid
festival to exchange greetings.

In line with the government directives, Dhaka north and south city
corporation decided not to hold any Eid jamaat on the open spaces,
including at the National Eidgah on the High Court premises, in the
city.

Besides, the historic Eid jamaat at the Sholakia Maidan in
Kishoreganj has also been suspended this year amid the COVID-19
situation.

However, five Eid jamaats will be held at the Baitul Mukarram
National Mosque like every year, according to Islamic Foundation.

The first Eid jamaat will be held at 7 am on the Eid day while it
will be followed by other four congregations at the same venue to help
the devotees perform Eid prayers maintaining the social distancing and
health guidelines properly.

The second, third, fourth and fifth Jamaats will be held at 8 am, 9
am, 10 am and 10.45 am respectively while separate Khatibs of the
national mosque will conduct the Eid jamaats.

BSS/Asg/SAH/MRU/2117hrs