malda: The countdown has started for Eid al-Fitr as 25 days of fasting in the holy month of Ramadan concluded on Sunday. English Bazar in Malda is the centre of activity as the locals engage in last minute shopping for Eid. The festival will be celebrated across the country on Saturday if the lunar calculation does not change.
Preparations are in full swing in Malda. Coloured lights will be put up in the streets from Mirchak to Bibigram; from Maheshmati to Bakkhatuli everywhere under the English Bazar police station. Lighting to decorate stages have been brought in from Nabadwip in Nadia.
This year, the moon of Ramadan was not seen on the scheduled day and it started a day later than scheduled. Imams of various mosques in English Bazar believe that there is a strong possibility of sighting the moon on Friday and Eid will be celebrated on Saturday.
Shopping for new clothes, ‘Laccha’, ‘Semai’, dates, perfumes, caps during the last week of Ramadan is at its peak in the markets of English Bazar.
Maheshmati area with a large Muslim population is being decorated with the initiative of several clubs. Lighting artists from Nabadwip have already been called in to light up the area.
Big lighting structures are being made. On the other hand, Maheshmati Madrasa More is being decorated with LED lights. Members of the Maheshmati Benfed More Eid celebration committee are preparing for a cultural programme. Maheshmati Youth Society on the other hand is getting ready to distribute clothes to more than five hundred poor people on the day of Eid-al Fitr.
Preparations for Eid celebrations have started in the Bibigram area by the Yuva Joar organization. Construction of a beautiful arch is going on. Preparations have started to decorate the colorful lights along with the clothing donation ceremony of the Bibigram Cobra Club.
Similarly, many clubs of Mirchak area including Hyderpur Jubo Sangha Kuttitola One Heart Club, Bakkhatuli Agangami Club, Hyderpur Mitali Songo are working to decorate the city. Asif Hossain, Secretary of the City Muslim Committee, Atkoshi, said: “Thousands of people will converge from Rajmahal Road to Mirchak- Manaskamona intersection on Eid. They come to see the decorations, lights and the programmes. We will appeal to the police to arrange systematic movement of traffic on the way from Rajmahal Road to Mirchak Manskamana.”