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Ramadan arrives in Bangladesh with serenity, sanctity, festivity
and philanthropy. Overflowing mosques with devotees, quitters streets,
illuminated and ornamented shopping malls and markets, and festive
villages make this month a symbol of blessing by Allah.
Throughout the whole Ramadan mosques remain overflowed with devotees.
Even non-practising Muslims goes the mosques regularly. Most people
pray long twenty Rakats of Tarabih after Esha prayer. Mosques make
the arrangement of completing the recitation of Holy Quran in the
Tarabih prayer. Muslims seldom miss the chance of completing the
recitation of the Holy Quran through Tarabih prayers.
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Ramadan
comes as a month of the Holy Quran. Mosques and other organisations
arrange various programmes of teaching how to correctly recite the
Holy Quran. A slogan of 'Recite Quran, understand it and build the
life with its light' has becoming increasingly popular. Many organisations
organise Tafsir Mahfils and other programmes in order to spread
the teachings of the Holly Book. This month attracts the mass, especially
the educated elite, to the holy Quran. Special fairs on the Quran
and related books are organised with lucrative discounts.
The month comes with special significance to those who have made
it the ultimate goal of their lives to raise the flag of Islam.
They try to utilise each moment of this holy month in spreading
the light of Islam. They exchange Quranic gifts like Tafsir books,
audio CDs and cassettes of Tafsir Mahfils and try to spread the
call of Islam to as many people as possible. Advanced leaders and
activists observe 'I'tekaf' by staying in the mosque for the last
ten days of this blessed month.
As 'Eid-ul-Fitr', the biggest festival of Bangladeshis, follows
the holly month of Ramadan, this month is also marked by festivity.
Shopping malls and markets are illuminated with colourful lights
to attract customers. A number of special dishes called 'Iftari',
meaning the foods for breaking the fasting, adds the festivity of
the month. Special items like 'Piazu' made of onion, 'Beguni' made
of brinjal, 'Jilapi', a spiral juicy sweet etc, are the traditional
items of Iftari.
The festivity of Ramadan touches the lives of people living even
in the remote villages, perhaps in a greater dimension. Their festival
starts from the sighting of the moon that indicates the beginning
of the holy month. People gather under the open sky to see the moon.
They chant slogans like 'Allahu Akber' meaning Allah is Great after
the moon is sighted. Young people and boys take the responsibility
of waking up the villagers so that they can take their 'Saheri'
at pre-dawn time by singing Islamic songs.
Ramadan helps maintain the family and social bondage in the country.
Those who hail from countryside and stay in the cities go back to
meet their family members and celebrate the festival of 'Eid-ul-Fitr'
with them during the last days of Ramadan.
This is the month when most people pay their Zakat, a 2.5% share
of the poor in the wealth of the rich, to the poor. This helps the
poor participate in the festival. Since Muslims believe that any
good deed in this month is repaid by Allah manifolds, the rich increase
their charity activities. A month long fasting also helps them feel
the hardship of the poor.
A culture of Ifter Party has become very popular in Bangladesh.
Different organisations including political parties, trade unions
and student organisations arrange Ifter Parties which also act as
forums for bringing people of different social and political background
together.
People of Bangladesh are generous to express their love for this
month by many means including naming their sons as 'Ramzan' the
way 'Ramadan' is pronounced in Bangladesh.
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