Eid is the most important religious festival of Muslim community. As a Muslim majority country, Bangladesh also celebrates every year Eid widely. How does the grassroots people celebrate the Eid? To record the reality and communal spirit of rural poor, we visited and celebrated eid with villagers of `Mujati` village in Mymensing district.
Approximately 9:30 at morning men and youth gathered at Eidgah (open air playground) on bank of river. In open environment the high volume mick`s sound speeded and reflected around the village and creates a festivities mode. Even though villagers can not understand Arabic lechers (Kudba) of Imam ( religious leader ), but they hear in pin drop silence by faith. During scriptures reading the community fund for mosque and imam was withdraw. Some poorest community members also asked money in this time. Although national holiday, but the rickshaw puller, shopkeeper don’t have rest. They do work with hope to income some more.
The conclusion, even though they are poor, has gender inequality, economical imbalance, conflicts but visionary, hopeful, live with faith and communal spirit. Few years before also in this village the education rate was very low, but within 10 year the scenario has been changed.
Shahjahan Siraj
27 January, 2006, Dhaka
( note: the video footage was collected from Mymensing district )
Script, multimedia and direction: Shahjahan Siraj
© Machizo Multimedia, March 2006