The Board of Governors of the Islamic Foundation has decided to publish a white paper on corruption within the organisation. The decision was made during a meeting held at the Islamic Foundation’s meeting room in the capital’s Agargaon on Tuesday. The meeting, chaired by Dr. AFM Khalid Hossain, Chairman of the Board of Governors and Religious Advisor, also decided to form a five-member committee, led by a retired Supreme Court judge, to investigate allegations of irregularities and corruption at the Islamic Foundation over the past 15 years. In addition to this, the meeting discussed several key issues, including the appointment of staff to vacant positions, revising the rent for shops at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque, reviving the Foundation’s publication department, and enhancing the overall activities of the organisation. Among others, Professor S. M. A. Faiz, Chairman of the University Grants Commission, A. K. M. Aftab Hossain Pramanik, Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, Professor Dr. Nakib Muhammad Nasrullah, Vice Chancellor of the Islamic University, Professor Muhammad Shah Alamgir, Chairman of the Bangladesh Madrasa Education Board, and Md. Saiful Islam, Director General of the Islamic Foundation. Tensions between Bangladesh and India grow over attack on Agartala mission A condolence motion was adopted in memory of the martyrs of the July Revolution. The meeting concluded with prayers for the souls of the martyrs and for the speedy recovery of the injured.  

Power Division’s additional secretary Md Razwanur Rahman has been appointed as director general (DG) of Islamic Foundation. The ministry of public administration issued a notification signed by its Senior Assistant Secretary Mohammad Mamun Shibly in this regard on Thursday. Earlier on September 22, the government removed the then DG Muhammad Bashirul Alam and attached him to the public administration ministry. Later, Md Saiful Islam, additional secretary of the Organization and Law Division of the ministry of religious affairs, was made DG of the foundation. He held the position in addition to his current duties until the new DG joined. Read: Saiful Islam made DG of Islamic Foundation Razwanur joined Bangladesh Civil Service through the 17th BCS as admin cadre. He has experience of working as assistant commissioner, executive magistrate, assistant commissioner (land) and upazila nirbahi officer. Moreover, he served as deputy and joint secretary at several ministries. Before joining the power division, he worked as DG at the Anti-Corruption Commission.

Like every year, there will be five Eid jamaats (special Eid morning prayer) will be held at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque from 7 am on the day of Eid-ul-Fitr this year. Islamic Foundation, Bangladesh revealed the schedule in a press release on Tuesday. The first Eid jamaat will be held at 7 am and followed by three more at the top of each hour till 10 am. The last one will be at 10:45 am. Eid-ul-Fitr will be held on Saturday or Sunday depending on the sighting on Shawal Moon.    

The holy Eid-e-Miladunnabi will be observed on Wednesday, marking the day of birth and passing away of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (pbuh), with religious festivity and fervour. On this day in 570, the 12th of Rabiul Awal of the Hijri calendar, Muhammad (pbuh) was born in Makkah with divine blessings and messages of peace for mankind. He also passed away on the same day. President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have issued separate messages greeting the people of the country and the Muslims across the globe on this occasion. Read: President hosts doa mahfil on Eid-e-Miladunnabi Different government and non-government organisations, including the Islamic Foundation (IF), have chalked out elaborate programmes to mark the day. Bangladesh Television (BTV) and Bangladesh Radio will broadcast special programmes highlighting the importance of the day. The day is a public holiday.

There will be five Eid jamaats (congregations) at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque on the day of Eid-ul-Fitr. A handout issued by the mosque authorities revealed the schedule on Tuesday. The first Eid jamaat will be held at 7 am while the next four will be administered at 8 am , 9am, 10am, and 10:45am respectively. The National Moon Sighting Committee will meet on Wednesday evening to fix the date of Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival of Muslims. The Islamic Foundation issued a press release in this regard saying the meeting will be held at the foundation's Baitul Mukarram office after Maghrib prayers for reviewing information on the sighting of Shawwal moon. The  Religious Affairs Ministry has urged devotees to offer Eid prayer at their nearest mosques instead of Eidgah and open spaces maintaining recommended health guidelines amid the coronavirus pandemic. It also suggested disinfecting mosques before the Eid prayer and not rolling out carpets on the floors. The devotees have been asked to bring prayer mats from home. The devotees must wear masks inside mosques and avoid using prayer mats and caps that were stored earlier there. Children, elderly people, people with physical ailment, and those involved in taking care of the sick will not be allowed to attend the Eid prayer. Besides, the devotees were requested to shun handshaking and hugging after the prayer which has been a common practice during Eid throughout the world. The Religious Affairs Ministry urged Imams and managing committees of mosques to ensure proper implementation of the directives. Read How to celebrate EID safely during COVID-19 pandemic

The National Moon Sighting Committee will meet on Wednesday evening to fix the date of Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival of Muslims. The Islamic Foundation issued a press release in this regard saying the meeting will be held at the foundation's Baitul Mukarram office after Maghrib prayers for reviewing information on the sighting of Shawwal moon. Mohammad Faridul Haque Khan, State Minister for Religious Affairs and also president of the committee, will preside over the meeting, it added. People have been requested to inform the committee over following phone and fax numbers if they see the Shawwal moon anywhere in Bangladesh sky. They also can report to the corresponding upazila nirbahi officers or deputy commissioners. The phone numbers are: 9559493, 9555947, 9556407 and 9558337 while the fax numbers are 9563397 and 9555951.

Muslims in Bangladesh will start observing the holy month of Ramadan, the lunar month of self-purification through fasting and abstinence, from tomorrow, Wednesday. The moon was sighted on Tuesday. Lailatul Qadr, the night of divine blessing and benediction, will be observed on the night of May 9. The National Moon Sighting Committee took the decision at a meeting held at Islamic Foundation's Baitul Mukarram office. Also read: 'No iftar gatherings, sehri in mosques during Ramadan' Muslims are meant to fast from dawn to dusk during the lunar month, a time of restraint and austerity. This year, maximum 20 people, including two imams, can attend Tarabi prayers in mosques. The step was taken to prevent the transmission of coronavirus. Besides, no public gathering for iftar will be allowed. Also read: Govt reschedules office timing for Ramadan On April 6, the Religious Affairs Ministry asked people to offer Zohr prayers at home instead of Jum’a on Friday considering the current situation of coronavirus. This year, devotees have been directed not to arrange iftar gatherings and sehri in mosques during Ramadan to contain the recent surge in Covid-19 infections. The Religious Affairs Ministry on April 5 issued new directives in this connection. The government has rearranged the office timing for Ramadan from 9am to 3:30pm for all government, semi-government, autonomous and semi-autonomous institutions. Also read: Soaring veggie prices sour festive spirit for city residents Meanwhile, residents of as many as 13 villages in Faridpur began the fasting month on Tuesday, in accordance with Saudi Arabia. The residents of the villages under Shekhar and Rupapat unions in Boalmari upazilas began their dawn-to-sunset fast after having ‘Sehri’ in the early hours, said Mohammad Israfil Molla, chairman of Shekhar Union.

  The government has rescheduled the public holiday for the upcoming Shab-e-Barat to March 30 instead of March 29. The Public Administration Ministry issued a notification in this regard on Tuesday. The date was changed as the holiday for the religious event is fixed considering the sighting of the new moon. Also read: Shab-e-Barat to be observed on March 29 Earlier on March 14, the National Moon Sighting Committee decided to observe the Shab-e-Barat on the night of March 29 as the Shaban moon was not sighted in the country on that day. The announcement was made after analysing data collected from the district administrations, Islamic Foundation, Bangladesh Meteorological Department, and Space Research and Remote Sensing Institute. Shab-e-Barat is observed on the 15th night of the Arabic month of Shaban. Muslims offer special prayers, recite the Quran, and take part in other religious rituals.

Muslims can receive Covid-19 vaccine shots during the fasting of Ramadan, said the Islamic Foundation.

Muslims in Bangladesh will observe the Shab-e-Barat on the night of March 29 as the Shaban moon was not sighted in the country on Sunday.