New York: While Bangladesh observed Eid al-Adha a day later, Muslims across the United States—including the Bangladeshi-American community—celebrated the festival on Wednesday. More than 3,500 Eid congregations were organized nationwide, including over 200 arranged by Bangladeshi community organizations. Thousands of worshippers gathered for the morning Eid prayers, with attendance exceeding expectations.
Most Eid prayers were held in open parks, sports fields, and hotel ballrooms. Favorable weather encouraged strong participation, particularly among young Muslims. Special prayers were offered at every congregation for peace, prosperity, and unity throughout the Muslim world.
In New York City, one of the nation's leading commercial and cultural centers, major Eid congregations took place at Jamaica Muslim Center, Al-Amin Mosque, Bangladesh Muslim Center, Baitul Jannah Mosque, Al-Aman Mosque, Parkchester Jame Mosque, Springfield Gardens Mosque, Shahjalal Jame Mosque, and along Bangladesh Street in Jackson Heights. Several mosques hosted more than 5,000 worshippers for Eid prayers. The New York City Police Department implemented enhanced security measures to ensure the safety of attendees during the celebrations.
New York City's first Muslim mayor, Zohran Mamdani, also joined Eid prayers at a Bangladeshi-operated mosque in the Bronx. Following the prayers, many worshippers traveled to designated facilities to perform the ritual sacrifice of animals.
Meanwhile, reports indicate that well over 100,000 Bangladeshis living in states such as New York, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Virginia, Maryland, Texas, Michigan, Florida, Georgia, California, Illinois, Minnesota, Washington, Rhode Island, Kansas, and Kentucky participated in the Eid sacrifice this year. In addition, nearly another 100,000 members of the Bangladeshi community in the greater New York area placed orders for sacrificial animals through local grocery stores and supermarkets.
In several states—including Texas, Florida, Washington, Arizona, Michigan, and Pennsylvania—many families were seen performing animal sacrifices in open fields, similar to the traditional practice in Bangladesh.
As Muslim communities have increasingly celebrated Eid together across the United States in recent years, obtaining leave from schools, colleges, workplaces, and government offices has become easier. In New York City, public schools have officially recognized Eid as a school holiday since 2015. Several other states, including Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, and Virginia, also allow Muslim students, government employees, and workers to take leave in observance of Eid.
