Dhaka, Oct 6 (IANS): Eid-ul-Azha, the second biggest religious festival for the Muslims, was celebrated across Bangladesh Monday with due solemnity and religious fervour.

Muslims across the country offered prayers in congregations and sacrificed animals in the name of Allah. They sought divine blessings for peace, progress and prosperity of the country as well as welfare of the Muslim community, The Daily Star reported.

It is said on this day about 4,000 years ago, Hazrat Ibrahim offered to sacrifice his son Hazrat Ismail who willingly submitted to the will of his father to please Allah. But the almighty spared Ismail and instead sent a ram to be sacrificed.

Commemorating this incident, Muslims all over the world slaughter sacrificial animals and draw inspiration of pleasing Allah as shown by two great prophets -- Hazrat Ibrahim and Hazrat Ismail.

The government had arranged for elaborate programmes to celebrate Eid-ul-Azha across the country.

The celebrations began with Eid congregations across the country followed by sacrifice of cattle.

On this festive occasion, millions of people visited their close relatives in the countryside.

Railway stations had been witnessing huge crowd for the last few days, as were bus and launch terminals as home-goers headed for their destinations. Makeshift cattle markets in the city as elsewhere were witnessing a rush of buyers for sacrificial animals.

A three-day Eid holiday began Sunday that will keep even newspaper offices closed until Oct 7.