Eid-ul-Azha: The Day of Sacrifice

Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest religious festival of Muslims, has been celebrated across the country on August 12.

Eid-ul-Azha is a festival commemorating Ibrahim’s willingness to sacrifice his son to obey Allah. However, his devotion is rewarded, as instead, Allah gave Ibrahim a lamb to sacrifice. In honor of this, Muslims may choose to sacrifice an animal such as a cow or goat as part of the festival.

Muslims throughout Bangladesh have been celebrating Eid-ul-Azha in many ways. The devotees flocked to Eidgahs to offer prayers in the morning. Well-off Muslims then sacrificed animals in commemoration of Prophet Ibrahim's devotion to Allah as illustrated by his willingness to give up his beloved son Ismail.

After the animal has been slaughtered, many Muslims divide the meat between themselves and immediate family. The rest is then given to friends and neighbors, and the poor or the needy.

Food is a significant observance of the festival, as Eid-ul-Azha is often associated with savory food - sometimes being called “Salty Eid” as a result. The meat from the sacrificed animal can feature in a variety of festive dishes, with rice meals such as Biryani and Korma proving very popular options in Bangladesh.

Sacrificing on Eid-ul-Azha is mandatory in Islam only for those who can afford it. They have to give a third of the meat to the poor and the needy. The festival ensures that even those who can’t afford meat get plenty of it at least once a year. In Mecca, the meat of the animals slaughtered by the Haajis is distributed to third-world countries too.