Fakhruddin Ahmed and Moeen U Ahmed, two much discussed men in Bangladesh politics, have attended the Eid-ul-Azha congregation in separate states in the United States.
Finance Minister AMA Muhith, who is in the US to attend World Bank and IMF meetings, has spent Eid in New York this year.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s son Sajeeb Wazed Ahmed Joy observed Eid with his family in Virginia.
Although Bangladesh will celebrate Eid-ul-Azha on Wednesday, expatriate Bangladeshis and Muslims in the US observed the Eid on Tuesday.
Muhit attended the congregation and exchanged greetings at New York’s Jamaica Muslim Centre. Bangladesh’s permanent representative to the UN AK Abdul Momen was with the minister.
The chief adviser to the erstwhile caretaker government Fakhruddin Ahmed attended Eid congregation at the Islamic Centre in Washington DC, and Gen Moeen, who was then the army chief, did so in Florida.
Fakhruddin and Moeen are still being criticised by the two major political parties of Bangladesh for their roles during the two-year rule of the interim administration that was constitutionally mandated to remain in charge for three months.
They were summoned by a parliamentary sub-committee several times to explain their actions in violence on university students and teachers in 2007. They, however, did not turn up but e-mailed written statements denying their involvement in the atrocities.
Before and after the Eid-ul-Fitr this year, the Sheikh Hasina’s son Joy had taken part in several functions in Bangladesh. But he has chosen to be with his family in the US during Eid-ul-Azha, the second biggest religious festival of the Muslims.
He has, however, greeted everyone through a post on his facebook page on Tuesday.
“A wonderful Eid Mubarak to everyone. I hope you and your families have a blessed holiday,” he said.
He had come to Bangladesh with his family during Ramadan, and his participation in a number of political events had become point of animated discussion. Joy had said he was working to bring the Awami League back to power for the second consecutive term.
Meanwhile, a fine weather aided the festive mood in New York’s Bangladeshi dominated neighbourhoods.
Many had gone to farms to choose their sacrificial animals, while others went to community supermarkets.
Muslim boys and girls of public schools in New York have got Eid holiday this time.
Bangladeshi children and youths celebrated Eid in a festive mood in Bangladeshi-dominated areas like Brooklyn, Queens and Bronx in New York.
Source: Bd news24