Bangladesh is observing the holy Eid-e-Miladunnabi today, the 12th of Rabiul Awal, marking both the birth and passing of the Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH). Born in 570 AD into the noble Quraish tribe of Mecca, the Prophet was born an orphan following the earlier demise of his father, Abdullah, and lost his mother, Amina, at the age of six. Decades later, after fulfilling his divine mission, he passed away on the exact same date in 632 AD at the age of 63. Muslims across the country and around the globe commemorate this blessed day as Eid-e-Miladunnabi or Seeratunnabi, reflecting deeply upon his life and teachings.
Devout Muslims are spending the day engaged in special prayers, reciting from the Holy Qur’an, chanting Darood Sharif, offering voluntary fasts, and distributing alms to the underprivileged. The occasion is marked by a official public holiday across Bangladesh, with the national flag hoisted atop all government, semi-government, autonomous institutions, and military establishments. Major thoroughfares and key traffic islands across Dhaka have been tastefully decorated with the national flag alongside banners inscribed with the Kalima Tayyiba.
National leaders issued commemorative messages offering warm greetings to the nation and the global Muslim community. President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir urged citizens to discard envy, hatred, and injustice, encouraging the creation of an equitable society built on peace, harmony, and human dignity inspired by the Prophet’s ideal lifestyle. Prime Minister Tariq Rahman highlighted that following the Prophet’s principles across individual, family, and national spheres remains key to establishing a just and welfare-oriented society. He added that the arrival of the Prophet was a landmark event in human history that opened a new dawn of truth and light. Meanwhile, Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) Joint Secretary General Advocate Ruhul Kabir Rizvi noted that the Prophet’s birth opened boundless gates of divine mercy for the entire universe.
To mark the fortnight-long observance, the Islamic Foundation has rolled out an extensive schedule of spiritual and cultural events centered at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque. The celebrations kicked off on Tuesday evening following the Maghrib prayer at the eastern courtyard of the mosque. President Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir inaugurated the programme as chief guest, with Minister for Religious Affairs Kazi Shah Mofazzal Hossain Kaikobad presiding over the ceremony and Mohammad Shamim Kaisar Linkon attending as a special guest.
Religious lectures (Waz Mahfils) will take place daily after Maghrib prayers at the national mosque through 8 September, featuring prominent Islamic scholars from across the country. The broad itinerary includes Qur’an recitation gatherings (Qirat Mahfils), Islamic devotional music performances (Hamd-Naat), joint seminars organised with Bangladesh B বেতার, poetry recitations, and Islamic cultural competitions for school, college, university, and madrasa students. Additionally, a month-long Islamic book fair and calligraphy exhibition have been opened at the eastern and southern plazas of Baitul Mukarram, accompanied by the publication of a special Seerat souvenir.
