Rangpur: Christmas, the biggest religious festival of the Christian community, was celebrated with due religious somberness peacefully marking the birthday of Jesus Christ in all 46 churches of Rangpur division on Thursday. The authorities of Rangpur Regional Baptists Church Sangha organized various daylong programs to celebrate the festivity on its premises in the city.
According to Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha, the celebrations included morning prayers, recitation from the holy Bible, carol singing, cutting Christmas cakes, and decoration of Xmas trees, with representatives from different churches of the Rangpur region participating. The Christian community adorned the churches with blinking lights and illuminated Christmas trees, while special dishes were prepared in their families. Children were seen seeking blessings from their parents, relatives, and elders.
Rangpur Metropolitan Police (RpMP) Commissioner Md Majid Ali, Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Enamul Ahsan, and other high officials attended the functions. They visited the church and extended greetings to the Christian community on the occasion of Christmas. Leaders of the Christian community participated in the Christmas cake-cutting ceremony in the presence of many community members dressed in colorful attire, including children, teenagers, girls, boys, women, and men.
Pastoral Super of Rangpur Regional Baptists Church, Reverend Shokhoriyo Boiragai, delivered a welcome speech, greeting the Christian religious leaders and community people. Reverend Boiragai remarked, “The Christian community celebrated Christmas with huge enthusiasm and festivities in all 46 churches of eight districts in Rangpur division.” Special prayers were offered in the church, seeking divine blessings for the well-being of the country, its people, and all of humanity, with hopes for continued peace and prosperity.