WISHING EVERYONE A JOYOUS EID!

It is that time of the year again, when we tread our own paths, to our own homes and hometowns with great excitement to celebrate Eid in our own special ways. And yet, it is also a time when we are brought together by that shared feeling of festivity that unites us in spirit.

After all, having hopefully purified ourselves through another month of fasting and restraint, who wouldn't want to just relax, enjoy spending some time with their loved ones and exchange Eid greetings and pleasantries with others instead of the stern looks and unpleasantries that we have grown accustomed to giving and receiving throughout the rest of the year?

It is with that temperament that some people look forward to Eid mainly for reasons that are as simplistic as tasting that homemade firni or shemai, while for the youngsters it is all about getting those Eidis that never fail to make them like their relatives so much more (especially when given in large amounts) than...well, just about anything else, I guess.

There will be an added opportunity too this year to tighten those "familial bonding", as we will be able to sit together with our families and watch the Football World Cup that just got underway after four long years of wait. Though we are far away from making it to the World Cup, in terms of enthusiasm and “people's participation” we most probably rank among the “finalists” as millions of villagers get into a mad frenzy like in no other place in supporting their favourite teams.

And, perhaps, we can now do that with some added optimism, knowing that it was at the last major sporting event (2018 Winter Olympics) where the cornerstone for the recent Trump-Kim Summit was set, which, in the days ahead, will hopefully serve as an important foundational block in building a more peaceful future for the whole world.

Here in Bangladesh we cannot help but go into Eid with a mixed bag of emotions despite all the good news, as the Rohingyas, who in desperation came to our doorstep to seek shelter from the brutal persecution in Myanmar, continue to suffer amid international community's overwhelming silence.

So as Eid approaches, aside from doing all the other things, let us take some time to reflect on the realities and acknowledge how lucky we are to be able to celebrate this coming Eid in the shelter of our own homes, safely with our loved ones, and be grateful for it.

And with the wisdom and added appreciation they may give us, let us share a portion of our celebrations and cause for celebrations with others so that each of us, through participating if only but a fraction in the joy of one another, gets to experience a more fulfilling Eid this time around, in harmony with all.

Eid Mubarak everyone!

Eresh Omar Jamal is a member of the editorial team at The Daily Star. His Twitter handle is: @EreshOmarJamal