124 villages celebrating Eid ul-Fitr today

The largest Muslim festival of Eid ul-Fitr is being celebrated at 124 villages of Patuakhali, Chandpur Narayanganj, Moulvibazar, Barguna, Pirojour, Sherpur and Chittagong in the country following the Eid celebration in Saudi Arabia today (Monday).

Thousands of people of these villages offered their prayers at Eid congregation Monday morning.

Patuakhali:

Patuakhali sadar upazila Badarpur Darbar Sharif director Mohammad Nazmus Sayadat Akhand said that over 5 thousands families of Badarpur and Chota Bighai at Sadar upazila, Sener Howla, Pashuribunia, Nij Hawla and Kankunipara of Galachipa upazila, Madanpura, Shaplakahli, Baga, Dhauravanga, Surdi, Sabupara, Amirabad of Baufal upazila, Lalua, Nishanbaria, Marichbunia, North Lalua, Majhibari of Kalapara upazila and Itbaria of Tiakhali, Nayapatti, Badurtali, and Safakhali of Mitthaganj union are celebrating Eid in advance.

The main Eid congregation of the village of Badarpur held in Badarpur Darbar Sharif Jame mosque at about 10:00am.

Amid drizzling, the local people including children gathered in the mosque wearing new clothes.

The Muslims of these localities are followers of the pirs (spiritual leaders) of Badarpur Darbar Sharif , Chittagong Satkania and Chittagong Alahabad.

Mothbaria (Pirojpur):

Around five hundred families of the village of East Sapleja, Vaijora, Kachubari, Khetachira, Badurtari and Charakgachia at Shaapleja union of the upazila are celebrating Eid ul-Fitr today.

Two Eid congregations of this union were held at Khandakarbari of Vaijora village at about 9:00am and resident of Haji Wahed Ali Hawlader at village of Kachuabari at about 9:15am. Munshi Shah Alam and Moulvi Haider Ali led the congregations as Imams.

Follower of the pir of Sureshwar, also former Union council member of Kachubaria, Farhad Hossain told Prothom Alo "We started our fasting on June 29 following Saudi Arabia and also are celebrating Eid today.

Chandpur:
Eid ul-Fitr is also being observed at the villages of Sadra, Bolakhal, Monihar, Olipur, Borokul, Shameshpur, Jakni, Ramchandrapur, Pratapur, Belcho, Uvarampur, Surangachal and Gabindapur of Hajiganj upazila, Sachenmegh, Bigha, Bichpara, Khila, Ortoli, Balithuba, Shola, Rupsha, Goalvaor, Koroitali, Noar Hat, Bashara, Panisair, Kamta, Paikpara, Kaitara, Toramunshir Hat, Mul Para, Badarpur, Telisair villages of Faridpur upazila and villages of Ashwinpur, Nayergaon, Pachani, Doshani, Mohonpur, Ekhlaspur and Beltali at Matlab.

Markets and Eidgah of these villages have been decorated to mark the Eid day.

Mawlana Jakaria Al Madani, resident of village of Sadra at Hajiganj, confirmed the celebration of Eid in advance.

He said they decided to celebrate Eid a day earlier as moon sighted from different countries including Saudi Arabia. His father, late Mawlana Eshak Khan in 1931 introduced the tradition of observing Eid if moon is sighted in any part of the world.

According to the tradition, around 50 thousand people of 11 villages of Hajiganj upazila in Chandpur and 7 villages of Uttar upazila at Matlab observe Eid ul-Fitr every year.

(Information used in this report is provided by our local offices and staff correspondents)