Dhaka: Christmas, the biggest religious festival of the Christian community, will be celebrated across the country on Sunday.

The day is the celebration of rebirth, new beginning, forgiveness and peace, and renewing relationship with God and human beings.

The Christian community chalked out different programmes, including decoration of Christmas trees with colourful lights, special prayers, distributions of gifts among children and exchange of pleasantries, to mark the day.

The day is a public holiday.

President Abdul Hamid will accord a reception to the members of the Christian community at about 11:45am on the day at Bangabhaban on the occasion.

Law enforcers will remain alert at different strategic points in the capital and many other places of the country at different strategic points to ensure peaceful celebration of Christmas.

Bangladesh Television and Bangladesh Betar along with private TV channels and radio stations will broadcast special programmes while national dailies publish supplements highlighting the significance of the day.

President Abdul Hamid, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia issued separate messages on the occasion.

In a message, the President said, 'Bangladesh is a country of communal harmony. All will have to build resistance together against those who want to destroy this tradition to gratify their evil interest.'

In her message, Sheikh Hasina said,' In our constitution, the equal rights of people of all religions have been ensured. The people of different religions and community have full freedom to practise their own religious rituals here.'

She urged all, including the people of Christian community, to come forward for the country’s development.