Staff Reporter:
Today is the Christmas Day, birthday of Jesus Christ, the Christian religious leader. This is the largest festival of the Christian community across the world.
The Christians of different groups in Bangladesh and elsewhere across the world will celebrate the day amid festivity and religious fervor.
They will celebrate the day by offering special prayers, illuminating churches, and installing make-shift Christmas trees at homes and places of worship as well as missions across the country.
Elderly people of the community, attired with the outfit of Santa Claus, usually have fun with children and distribute gifts among kids as part of a universal Christian practice.
The day is a public holiday.
In separate messages, President Mohammed Shahabuddin and Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus greeted members of the Christian community on the occasion.
They wished peace, welfare, and prosperity to all citizens, including Christians, of the country.
President Shahabuddin, in his message, said Bangladesh is a country of communal harmony as people of all religions have been practicing their religions and rituals independently in this country for long.
He urged all to work together to build a happy, prosperous, and non-communal Bangladesh.
About Jesus Christ’s contribution to society, the President said Jesus taught people to be in a peaceful position with love, compassion, forgiveness, affection, empathy, and the establishment of justice.
“Instead of earthly life, Jesus Christ put emphasis on the importance of spiritual happiness through renunciation, restraint, and charity,” Shahabuddin said.
The President thought that the teachings and ideals of Jesus Christ are very relevant in establish-ing peace and harmony in a trouble-torn world apart from establishing harmony and unity among nations.
Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus, in his message, hoped that Christmas will further strengthen the existing camaraderie and harmony between Christians and other communities in the country.
For thousands of years, he said, people of all religions, regardless of race, religion, or caste, have lived together in harmony in this country. People of all religions and communities have ultimate freedom to practice their own religion here.
Professor Muhammad Yunus said Jesus Christ was born in Bethlehem on this day, and one of his vows was to establish a society free from exploitation by establishing justice and peace in the world.
The great Jesus, he mentioned, sacrificed himself for the poor and starving people, while his ideal lifestyle and strict characteristics still remain immortal in human history.
Greeting the countrymen, especially the Christians, on this occasion, the Chief Adviser wished all citizens’ peace, welfare, and prosperity.
On the holy day, churches in the capital will be illuminated while Christmas trees will be set up and candles lit at abodes and churches by the Christian community to celebrate the event amid religious fervor.
According to tradition, Santa Claus will distribute sweets and gifts among children in churches on the occasion. This is a ‘great day’ for children in the Christian community, who sing carols praising Jesus Christ and God and exchange gifts.
The national dailies will publish special articles highlighting the importance of Christmas.
Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar, and private radio stations and TV channels will air spe-cial programs marking the festival.
