The spirit of Eid-ul-Fitr

THE month of Ramadan which united us in a collective experience of disciplined worldly and spiritual lives is coming to a crowning glory. It is heralding the biggest and the most joyous of festivals in Islamic calendar. The month-long fasting that tested our capacity for abnegation and self-restraint and made us empathetic to the plight of the less fortunate is rewarded through Eid meaning auspicious joy.

The spirituality has created a groundswell of emotional fervour demonstrated through the  urban dwellers' surge for home-bound journeys to celebrate Eid with their kith and kin. This urban-rural connection topped by Eid-centred remittances by Bangladeshi expatriate workers to  their beneficiaries must have given a boost  to rural economy.

As it is, Ramadan and Eid help rejuvenate national economy through stepping up productivity, imports, fashion-designing, innovations and improvisations. Eid tourism is expanding as well.

Now the transporters, policemen and people must exercise caution against accidents or crimes. Already, a police official has been killed as families of eight missing youths have demanded government action to bring them back.

Eid is not all about feasting or merry-making. There are higher ideals associated   with it: Equality, brotherhood, peaceful coexistence and tolerance are the messages we take from Eid. But alas, we see deficit there! The month leading to Eid offered windows for political rapport through Iftar parties. But the opportunities went unutilised. Now imbued with the Eid spirit, hopefully, sharp political polarisation  would ease up towards some kind of thaw for the sake of  normality.

Happy Eid- ul-Fitr and Eid Mubarak to all.