Holy festival of Eid al-Fitr
Kousholy Ema: Bangladeshi expatriates across all 50 states of the United States celebrated the holy festival of Eid al-Fitr on the same day. On Friday (March 20), Muslim communities nationwide participated in Eid prayers.
Eid congregations were organized at more than 3,000 mosques and Islamic centers across the country. In addition to open fields, prayers were also held in mosques and church halls.
According to the Association of Statisticians of American Religious Bodies, the number of mosques and Islamic educational institutions in the United States has increased by 31% over the past two decades. The number of mosques rose from 1,209 in 2000 to 2,106 in 2011, and reached 2,796 in the most recent count in 2020. The highest number of mosques is in New York (343), followed by California (304), Texas (224), Florida (157), Illinois (109), and New Jersey (141).
On Friday, Eid prayers were held at Bangladeshi-operated mosques, adjacent open grounds, parks, and church halls across various states. In areas without mosques, Eid and Friday prayers have long been conducted in church halls.
Across the U.S., Bangladeshi Muslim communities prepared for Eid prayers at more than 200 mosques and adjacent venues. Congregations began at 8:00 a.m. and continued in phases until around 9:30 a.m. Local authorities implemented special security measures to ensure safety.
In New York, one of the largest Eid congregations took place at the Jamaica Muslim Center. Additional prayers were held across neighborhoods including Jamaica, Jackson Heights, the Bronx, Brooklyn, Ozone Park, Astoria, Manhattan, and other areas.
Eid prayers were also held in mosques, Islamic centers, and more than 150 open fields across states with large Bangladeshi populations, including New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Washington, D.C., Virginia, Massachusetts, Connecticut, California, Texas, Florida, Ohio, Illinois, Colorado, Delaware, Georgia, Kansas, Maryland, Michigan, South Carolina, Washington State, and Kentucky.
*Copyright 2026 Bangla Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
BP/SM
