Eid al-Adha animal sacrifices have combined with heavy rains to make the streets of Bangladesh's capital Dhaka run with blood-red rivers.

Many said the incident showed how the city corporations had failed to keep drainage systems functional and had paid no attention to the matter before Eid, the Dhaka Tribune reported.

While Dhaka's two city corporations had designated locations for animal sacrifices, the locations were not well used, with people sacrificing their animals in their garages, alleys or streets, according to news website Prothom Alo.

Many pointed to poor drainage in the city as the cause of the blood-red floods. ( Facebook: Faysal Amin via Storyful )

People said rain was the main reason they did not use the designated locations, the site said.

Held on Monday this year, Eid al-Adha is one of the two most important festivals of the Islamic calendar, alongside Eid al-Fitr, which ends Ramadan — the month of fasting.

Marking the willingness of Ibrahim, or Abraham, to sacrifice his son on God's command, Muslims mark the Eid al-Adha by slaughtering animals such as cows, sheep and goats.

The meat is shared among family and friends and also donated to the poor.