Socially distanced, Muslims around Bangladesh perform Eid prayers

Masked and socially distanced to fight the coronavirus, Muslims around Bangladesh, including Dhaka city, performed Eid-ul-Azha prayers on Saturday morning, according to reports.

The government had earlier asked them to offer this Eid prayers maintaining appropriate health protocols that include social distance and mask-wearing.

Baitul Mukarram National Mosque hosted its first of five congregations for Eid-ul-Azha, the second biggest festival of the Muslims after Eid-ul-Fitr, at 7:00am.

Devotees there offered prayers maintaining the health protocols as instructed by the government ahead of the Eid.

Many of them held their prayers outside the mosque, in the open air, as it could not accommodate them all inside.

After the prayers, all abstained, including near and dear ones, from hugging each other, a part of the Eid ritual.

Bangladesh has been hit by the coronavirus for more than four months since early March, and recently floods submerged around a third of the country compounding the lingering virus woes.

The congregation at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, led by Imam Hafez Mufti Maulana Mizanur Rahman, was capped by prayers for the victims of the coronavirus and peace and welfare of the nation, bdnews24.com reports.

Mizanur Rahman said: “May Allah consider those who have died of the virus as martyrs. Allah, please heal the sick. Protect us all from this disease.”

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina greeted the nation on the eve of Eid, saying the joyous occasion will “remove all the darkness and bring endless happiness”.

Hasina reminded all of the health protocols that need to be followed to reduce the risk of infection.

During Eid-ul-Fitr two months ago, Bangladeshis were housebound due to a lockdown over the outbreak. The government has lifted most of the curbs while the rates of infection and death have remained almost unchanged.

In the daily count on the eve of Eid, the health authorities confirmed 2,772 new virus cases, taking the tally to 237,661 while the death toll surged by 28 to 3,111.

The government has asked all to remain in their areas of work during the Eid holidays, but many left Dhaka and other cities for their village homes to celebrate the occasion with their loved ones, heightening the risks of transmission of the deadly disease.

Disruptions in ferry services due to river erosion and strong currents led to huge crowds of holidaymakers at the piers and tailbacks on the highways. Vehicles snailed throughout the day on the northbound Dhaka-Tangail Highway due to heavy traffic.

Launches bound for the southern districts were overcrowded with holidaymakers who showed no respect for the coronavirus health rules, but there was no rush at Kamalapur Railway Station while in normal times, people left Dhaka riding onto the roofs of the trains.

Shariful Islam, a resident of Dhaka’s Khilgaon, came to the Baitul Mukarram Mosque to join the Eid congregation.

At the end of the prayers, he said, "Nobody expected a situation like the one we’re experiencing today. May Allah protect everyone. I pray and hope that things get back to normal.”

Ahnaf, a fourth-grader, joined the Eid prayers with his father Saidul Islam. His grandfather was upset that he could not go home this year.

“Let's open the school again soon. I didn’t go to school for a long time. I don’t see my friends anymore.”

Habibur Rahman, a resident of Naya Paltan, said, “There is no joy in Eid this time. I prayed and then I have to stay home all day.”