Festivities bloom as Eid-ul-Fitr brings joy to every corner of Bangladesh

The nation gears up for the celebration of Muslims' biggest religious festival on Monday

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The festivities, which began with the announcement of an extended holiday, took on their full splendour with the sighting of the crescent moon in the sky.

After a month of fasting, the joyful message of Eid-ul-Fitr once again graces Bangladesh, bringing happiness and celebration throughout the country.

The nation is all set to celebrate Muslims' biggest religious festival on Monday, with many having already reached their hometowns to reunite with loved ones during the longest holiday in recent times.

The previous Eid holiday lasted for six days, with the added occasion of celebrating Bengali New Year.

But this time, the interim government’s executive order declaring a public holiday on Apr 3 has given government employees at least nine days off.

Those who could take Thursday off after the Mar 26 holiday have enjoyed an additional two days.

The long holiday, combined with the completion of major roadworks, has allowed millions to return home without the usual hassle, leaving the usually busy Dhaka streets unusually quiet.

With supply largely matching demand, the market for everyday essentials remained relatively stable during this Ramadan, with only a few exceptions.

The impact of inflation has led lower-income families to adopt cost-saving habits over the past few years, affecting this year's Eid.

As a result, many families may not have been able to fully indulge in shopping for the occasion.

Amid economic challenges and political uncertainty, traders lamented sluggish Eid sales—traditionally the peak shopping season.

Festive decorations have been put up across the country, including at the National Eidgah, where a “grand” congregation is set to take place.

Chief Advisor Muhammad Yunus has extended his Eid greetings to the nation.

In addition to the National Eidgah, a large-scale Eid prayer has also been arranged at the old trade fair grounds in Agargaon.

This year, an Eid procession and a festive fair have been introduced as new elements of the celebrations.

Traders, grappling with economic challenges and inflation, had already expressed concerns over a slowdown in sales last year, and this year, sales have reportedly been even lower.

Although many shops were crowded during the holiday period of Ramadan, sellers have expressed frustration over staff shortages, which impacted sales.

Buyers, meanwhile, complained about high prices.

In Mirpur’s Mohammadia Market, Niloy Ahmed, a private company employee, was forced to leave empty-handed after discovering that the price of every three-piece outfit was over Tk 3,000—far beyond his budget.

He recently got married and was shopping for Eid clothes for his wife but could not find anything within his price range.

Speaking to bdnews24.com, Niloy said: “After marriage, responsibilities increase, and it feels like prices are rising too. Overall, I couldn’t stick to my budget. I was looking for clothes under 2,000 Tk, but I couldn’t find anything.

“Let’s see if I can find something elsewhere.”

Sellers have also pointed to political changes as a factor contributing to the reduced sales.

Saharif Hasan Tanim, a sales representative at Lubnan’s Bashundhara City outlet, said: “Due to multiple crises, people don’t have money in hand.

“In the past, political figures would place orders for 300 pieces at once, but this year, not even one person has come with such orders."

He added, "Our Punjabi prices are already higher. We don’t get all kinds of customers at our store. Overall, sales have been lower this year."

According to the Bangladesh Shop Owners’ Association, the Eid-related economy has seen a 20 percent decline in transactions.

The organisation’s President Helal Uddin said transactions in 2024 had amounted to between Tk 2.5 trillion to Tk 2.55 trillion in sectors such as Iftar-Seheri, clothing, and others.

This year, the total has decreased to between Tk 2 trillion to Tk 2.05 trillion.

In the clothing market, expected transactions of Tk 380 billion have been reduced to an estimated Tk 200-220 billion.

He said: “Many who used to spend a lot on Eid shopping have now scaled back, leading to a decrease in purchases.

"On the other hand, due to a reduction in the import of foreign garments and cosmetics, domestic products have seen a rise in sales, which is a positive development.

“This year, there’s some relief among us as more local products have been sold," Helal added.

Travel across Bangladesh has been smooth this Eid, with fewer traffic woes. Many people have travelled home by bus, train, and launch, with minimal disruption.

Shafiqul Rahman, an official at a private company, made the journey from Arambagh in Dhaka to Cumilla in just two hours.

It was a pace he had not experienced in the past decade of Eid travels.

“I can't believe it. I've never had such a smooth Eid journey. I reached Cumilla from Arambagh in just two hours and even took a 40-minute break for Iftar. This has never happened in the last ten years,” he said.

Speaking to bdnews24, Shafiqul described his surprising Friday journey. "In previous years, there was always some level of traffic. I believe the administration was quite active this time.

“I saw traffic police cars at different points along the route."

It echoed the remarks of Mosharraf Hossain, the general manager of Hanif Enterprise, who said he had not seen such an Eid travel in his 40 years in the transport industry.

He told bdnews24.com on Saturday, "Eid holidays effectively began from the night of the 25th March. Due to the long holiday, people didn’t need to travel all at once, and this has had an impact on the roads."

"In my 40 years of service, I’ve never seen such a long holiday before Eid. People have been able to return home gradually at their convenience. As a result, the pressure on the roads has been reduced.

“There were traffic jams from Nabinagar to Chandra. On Friday, it took 7-8 hours to cross that road. But [on Saturday], there isn’t much traffic."

Yunus wished the nation a peaceful Eid, urging people to visit their relatives' graves, look out for the poor, and think about how they can improve the future of the country.

He called on the nation to remain united, despite any political differences, and to stand firm in the face of provocations.

During the Eid holidays, nearly 4.1 million SIM users from four mobile operators left Dhaka over Friday and Saturday, according to data shared by Chief Advisor’s Special Secretary Faiz Ahmad Taiyeb, who oversees the Ministry of Posts, Telecommunications, and Information Technology.

The mild to moderate heatwave affecting three divisions and four districts in the country is expected to subside by Sunday, with the Meteorological Department forecasting “pleasant” weather for Eid day.

WHEN AND WHERE TO ATTEND EID PRAYERS

The main Eid-ul-Fitr congregation in the capital will take place at the National Eidgah Maidan at 8:30am.

Five congregations will be held at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque.

President Mohammed Shahabuddin will offer prayers at the Bangabhaban mosque while Chief Advisor Yunus will attend the National Eidgah.

The National Eidgah will host the main congregation with participation from Supreme Court judges, members of the advisory council, politicians, and people from all walks of life.

Mufti Mohammad Abdul Malek, the Khatib of Baitul Mukarram, will lead the prayers, with the mosque's Muazzin Md Habibur will lead the recitations as Qari.

Dhaka South City Corporation has arranged for nearly 35,000 people to pray together at the National Eidgah Maidan next to the High Court.

Security arrangements have been made for the main Eid congregation, and senior law-enforcing officers have ensured safety measures.

In case of adverse weather or unavoidable circumstances, the main Eid congregation will be held at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque at 9:00am.

The Met Office does not expect any storms or rainfall on Eid day, and the heat may also reduce slightly.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Commissioner Sheikh Md Sazzad Ali urged people not to bring bags, sharp objects, or inflammable materials to the Eid congregation and to exit the venue in an orderly manner after the prayers.

The Islamic Foundation has announced that five congregations will take place at Baitul Mukarram in the capital, starting at 7:00am, followed by additional prayers every hour until the fifth congregation at 10:45am.

The largest Eid congregation in the country will take place at the Sholakia field in Kishoreganj, where the 198th Eid congregation will be held at 10:00am, led by Maulana Abul Khair Md Saifullah, the khatib of Boro Bazar Jame Mosque.

Maulana Zobayer Ibn Abdul Hai, a lecturer at Haibatnagar AU Alia Madrasa, will serve as the alternate imam.

For long-distance travellers, Bangladesh Railway has arranged two special trains, named Sholakia Special.

One train will depart from Mymensingh at 5:45am while the other will leave Bhairab at 6am.

The return trips are scheduled for 12pm after the congregation.

The Gor-e-Shahid Boro Maidan in Dinajpur has emerged as a contender for the largest Eid congregation, with a capacity for up to 500,000 to 600,000 people.

The congregation will be held at 9:00am, led by Maulana Matiur Rahman Kashemi.

Dhaka University will hold two prayers at 8:00am and 9:00am at the central mosque.

Additional prayers will be held at the Salimullah Muslim Hall lawn and the eastern side of Fazlul Huq Muslim Hall field at 8:00am.

For residents of the Dhaka North City Corporation area, an Eid congregation will be held at 8:30am at the ground next to the Bangladesh-China Friendship Exhibition Centre (old trade fair ground).

This is expected to be the largest Eid congregation in Dhaka, featuring a procession and cultural events after the prayers.

A congregation will also be held at 8:00am at the southern plaza of the Parliament Building (below the tunnel).

In addition, 111 Eidgahs and 1,577 mosques in Dhaka will host 1,739 Eid congregations.

In Chattogram, the main Eid congregation will be held at the Jamiatul Falah National Mosque premises at 8:00am, followed by a second congregation at 8:30am.

[Writing in English by Sheikh Fariha Bristy]