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This year, getting together in person is not the wisest of ideas

The holy festival of Eid-ul-Fitr is here -- one of the two most important occasions for Muslims all over the world. After observing an entire month of restraint, Muslims look forward to jubilation and celebration on Eid day, usually marked by visiting relatives and friends -- often involving large gatherings. 

This year, however, getting together in person is not the wisest of ideas. We stand on the verge of a potential third wave, and public health experts have warned that a truly grim scenario could be knocking on our door. However, exactly how this plays out will depend on how we behave in the coming days. 

The simple fact of the matter is that we Bangladeshis have not behaved responsibly throughout the course of this pandemic. Again and again, this newspaper has editorialized on the need to observe basic Covid protocols. 

On a personal level, the best things we can do are to observe social distancing, wear masks, and frequently wash our hands with soap or use sanitizers. All in all, we have not done enough of these. The last few days have seen enormous crowds in shopping malls, and now we are seeing a mad rush to go home. Images of crowds on ferries tell us that a time bomb is ticking.

We cannot, however, give up on our efforts or give in to despair. The stakes are simply too high. The best way we can celebrate this Eid is to honour human life, and the health and safety of our fellow citizens. Let us not endanger others for a few days of merriment. We do a have a grave responsibility on our hands.

The Dhaka Tribune wishes its readers Eid Mubarak in this trying time, and that we all get through this crisis soon.