The New Nation - Internet Edition

Our Correspondent, Barisal

Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest religious festival of the Muslim community has been observed in hurricane Sidr-distressed areas of southern region in a gloomy mood without any festivity, but just performing minimum religious rituals.

Journalists of different media after visiting the Sir distressed areas on Eid day said peoples were over-whelmed with the emotions of losing their dearest and nearest ones, sources of earnings for livelihoode, crops, cloths and houses.

Still the sounds of weeping and wailing remembering the lost ones spread in the area after shadow of darkness covers at evening.

In Southkhali, situated on Baleswar river estuary and one of the most severely Sidr-affected areas under Sharonkhola upazila of Bagerhut district, homeless peoples observed Eid in their relief-tents and by weeping besides the mass or family graveyards and destroyed homes.

Eid congressional prayers were held either in the premises of destroyed mosques or on open grounds and worshipers participated wearing cloths received from different relief teams. In some places, as Imams of the local mosques or their family members killed or injured by Sidr ; one from the worshipre performed the duty of Imam in Eid Jamat and not a single animal was sacrificed to perform religious rituals by any family due to lack of financial ability. Teams of Bangladesh Army led by Lt.Col. Syeed Siddiki, Bagerhut district commander of joint forces hoisting banner 'Eso Sakoley Miley Eid Kori'( let us observe Eid with all others), on Baleswar River bank on the Eid day distributed relief packets included normal and winter cloths, kitchen utensils, water pots, school bags, flashlights and other essential items,.

Local former lawmaker and Jamaate Islami leader Mawlana Delwar Hossain Syedi observed Eid-ul-Azha with the Sidr-distressed peoples of this area and different Islamic NGO's arranged sacrificing animal and distributed meat.

In Khatachhera, Baro Machhua of Mathbaria upazila under Pirojpur district, Padma and other villages of Patharghata upazila under Barguna district, the scenario of observing Eid-ul-Azha just after five weeks of the devastating Sidr, were almost same.