With great enthusiasm, festivity and religious fervor, the Christian community in Bangladesh Sunday celebrated Christmas Day called in Bangla "Baro Din (Big Day) .

On Sunday morning Christians are seen to offer special prayers in churches in capital Dhaka and elsewhere in the country.

Churches have been decorated with colorful tiny blinking lights. Illuminated Christmas trees, a worldwide symbol for peace and good cheer, have also been placed with a star standing right on top at homes, churches and hotels.

A festive mood prevailed all around with the Christmas trees, chocolate house and fairy lights everywhere when Santa Clause distributed sweets and gifts to children in churches, parks and hotels on the occasion.

The day is a national holiday in Bangladesh and people from all religions join their Christian friends to make the most of the joyous celebrations which began on the eve of the Christmas on Dec. 24 with singing of carols in public places like lobbies, restaurants and lounges.

To share the joy of Christmas, there were Santa Claus, Mickey and mini, magic show, puppet show, mini zoo, fortune tellers and live piano music. In rural Christian majority Bangladesh areas, the Christian community members prepared and distributed traditional winter cakes while they provided money for poorer people of the community through churches.

Hundreds of thousands of people have left Dhaka for their village homes to celebrate the festival with their near and dear ones.

State-run and private television channels and radio stations are broadcasting special programs while national dailies published supplements highlighting the significance of the day.

source: Xinhua