Eid-ul-Azha is celebrated on the 10th of Zilhajj month of the Hizri calendar. Hazrat Ibrahim (AS), on this day 4,500 years ago, offered to sacrifice his beloved son Hazrat Ismail (AS). Hazrat Ismail (AS) willingly submitted to the will of his father to please Allah.

However, the Almighty, in His benign mercy, spared Hazrat Ismail (AS) and instead sent a ram to be sacrificed.

To commemorate this historic event, on Monday, Muslims across the country are offering their prayers in congregations.

Following the Eid prayers, Muslims are performing rituals of sacrificing animals, spend their time feasting with family and friends and distribute sacrificial meat among their family members, friends, and the poor.

President Abdul Hamid, prime minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir in separate messages greeted the Muslims in Bangladesh and all over the world on the occasion of Eid.

The main Eid congregation was held at the National Eidgah near the High Court Bhaban at around 8:00am.

President M Abdul Hamid offered his Eid prayers at the National Eidgah.

Strict security measures were taken to ensure safety and security at the Eidgah during the Eid congregation.

The devotees were not allowed to carry any bags at the prayer-ground.

The two city corporations of capital have arranged over 582 Eid congregations in Dhaka. The corporations also designated 607 spots for slaughtering sacrificial animals in the city.

Meanwhile, millions of people have left the capital and other major cities for their homes to celebrate Eid with their near and dear ones.

The radio and television channels have chalked out a series of special programmes on the occasion of Eid.

On the day, improved diets will be served to those in government hospitals, prisons, orphanages, safe homes, and shelters.

The government earlier declared a three-day public holiday, beginning Sunday, for Eid-ul-Azha.