We investigate the role of non-uniform spatial density profiles of trapped atomic Bose–Einstein condensates in the propagation of Raman-matched laser pulses under conditions for electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT). We find that the sharp edged axial density profile of an interacting condensate (due to a balance between external trap and repulsive atomic interaction) is advantageous for obtaining ultraslow averaged group velocities. Our results are in good quantitative agreement with a recent experiment report [Nature 397 (1999) 594].