The Muslim community in Nepal celebrated Eid-ul-Fitr with joy. Spirits were high in Kathmandu.

Muslims in South Asia, like those across the world, are celebrating Eid, marking the end of the holy month of Ramadan.

They thronged mosques to offer prayers, relished delicacies, and visited fairs in their best fineries. In India, mass prayers were organised on the streets of Mumbai, Delhi, and other major cities. In Pakistan, festivities involved camel and roller-coaster rides.

Yet, this Eid is sobering. It looks as if the liberal Muslims are becoming targets of a hard-line pseudo-religious, so-called ‘Islamist’ terrorists, bent upon destroying the catholicity of Islam as practiced in much of South Asia and India.

However, another gruesome terrorist attack in Bangladesh dampened spirits in that country. On July 7, two people were killed and at least 9 injured in blasts at the Sholakia Eidgah in Kishoreganj town, about 140 km northeast of the capital, Dhaka. This comes just days after a popular Dhaka cafe was put under siege by suspected Islamic State (IS) terrorists, resulting in the death of over 20 people.

This year Ramadan witnessed unprecedented violence with terrorists killing hundreds in Muslim-dominated areas.

Nevertheless, Eid brought a semblance of relief and joy to the community in South Asia.

  Islam, Nepal, Sholakia Eidgah, terrorist