Festivals and celebrations
Eid ul-Fitr
As the most important religious festival for the majority of
Muslims, the celebration of
Eid ul-Fitr
has become a part of the culture of Bangladesh. The government of
Bangladesh declares the holiday for three days on Eid-ul Fitr. All
outgoing public transport from the major cities have become highly
crowded and in many cases the fares tend to rise in spite of government
restrictions.
On Eid day, the
Eid prayer are held all over the country, in open areas like fields or inside mosques. After the Eid prayers, people return home, visit each other's home and eat sweet dishes called
shirni.
Throughout the day gentlemen embrace each other. It is also customary
for junior members of the society to touch the feet of the seniors, and
seniors returning blessings (sometimes with a small sum of money as a
gift). In the rural areas, the Eid festival is observed with great
fanfare. In some areas Eid fares are arranged. Different types of games
including
boat racing,
kabaddi, and other traditional Bangladeshi games, as well as modern games like
cricket and
football
are played on this occasion. In urban areas, people play music, visit
each other's houses and eat special food. Watching movies and television
programs has also become an integral part of the Eid celebration in
urban areas. All local
TV channels air special program for several days for this occasion.
