The National Moon Sighting Committee will meet on Sunday evening to fix the date of Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival of Muslims. The Islamic Foundation issued a press release on Saturday 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. Read: Solution to pollution: Sprinkling water on Dhaka's roads & construction sites? People have been requested to inform the committee through the following phone and fax numbers if they see the Shawwal moon anywhere in Bangladesh sky. The phone numbers are: 02-223381725, 02-41050912, 02-41050916, and 02-41050917 while the fax numbers are 02-223383397 and 02-9555951. They also can report to the concerned upazila nirbahi officers or the deputy commissioners.

Muslims in Bangladesh will start observing the holy month of Ramadan, the lunar month of self-purification through fasting and abstinence, from Sunday as the new crescent moon was sighted on Saturday. Lailatul Qadr, the night of divine blessings and benediction, will be observed on the night of April 28. The National Moon Sighting Committee took the decision at a meeting held at Islamic Foundation's Baitul Mukarram office. State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan chaired the meeting. Muslims are meant to fast from dawn to dusk during the lunar month, a time of restraint and austerity. The government has rearranged the office timing for the holy month of Ramadan from 9 am to 3:30 pm for all government, semi-government, autonomous and semi-autonomous institutions. Besides, as classes were hampered for the Covid-19 pandemic, secondary and higher secondary institutions have been requested to continue in-person classes till April 26 to make up the academic losses. Also read: Healthy Sehri Ideas: What to eat and avoid for Sehri during Ramadan Meanwhile, residents of as many as 40 villages in Chandpur district began the holy fasting month of Ramadan Saturday, in accordance with Saudi Arabia. The villagers across the upazilas of Faridganj, Matlab North, Kachua and Shahrasti offered their Tarabi prayers last night and began their dawn-to-sunset fast after having ‘Sehri’ before sunrise.  They have been celebrating all religious festivals like Eid and Ramadan on the lines of Saudi Arabia, home to the world's most holy Muslim sites, since 1928 Maulana Zakaria Chowdhury, in charge of Hajiganj Sadar Darbar Sharif in Chandpur. Also read: Govt to sell milk, egg, meat at subsidised rates in city during Ramadan: Ministry

The holy Shab-e-Meraj will be observed in the country on the night of February 28. The National Moon Sighting Committee took the decision at a meeting held at the Islamic Foundation office at Baitul Mukarram Wednesday evening. Read: Lailatul Qadr or Shab-e-Qadr observed On the night of 26th Rajab every year, Muslims observe Shab-e-Meraj when Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) embarked on a special journey to meet Allah. In the journey, the Prophet travelled on the “Buraq” to Heaven where Allah gave him some instructions to take back to the faithful regarding the details of prayers.

The Zilhajj moon has been sighted in Bangladesh and Eid-ul-Azha will be celebrated on July 21, the national moon sighting committee announced on Sunday. It said the month of Zilhajj will begin from July 12, Monday. The committee made the announcement at a meeting that reviewed information about the sighting of the Zilhajj moon received from across the country. Also read: Eid-ul-Azha: Moon Sighting Committee to meet Sunday State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan chaired the meeting at the Islamic Foundation's office at Baitul Mukarram. Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest religious festival of the Muslims, is celebrated on the 10th day of the holy month of Zilhajj. Saudi Arabia will celebrate Eid-ul-Azha on July 20 this year as the Zilhajj moon was not sighted in the country Friday.

A meeting of the National Moon Sighting Committee will be held on Sunday to fix the date of Eid-ul-Azha, the second largest religious festival of Muslims. The meeting will be held in the office of the Islamic Foundation at Baitul Mukarram at 7:15pm with State Minister for Religious Affairs Mohammad Faridul Haque Khan in the chair, said an Islamic Foundation media release on Saturday. The committee will announce the date of Eid-ul-Azha after reviewing information about the sighting of Zilhaj moon. Also read: National Moon Sighting Committee to meet Wednesday evening People have been requested to inform the committee over the following phone and fax numbers if they see the Zilhaj moon anywhere in Bangladesh sky. Also read: National Moon sighting committee to sit Tuesday The telephone numbers are: 9559493, 9555947, 9556407 and 9558337, while the fax numbers are 9563397 and 9555951. Also read: National Moon Sighting Committee to sit Tuesday

Bangladesh will celebrate Eid-ul-Fitr on Friday as the Shawwal moon was not sighted in Bangladesh on Wednesday evening. “The Eid [Eid-ul-Fitr] will be celebrated on Friday as Shawwal moon was sighted nowhere in Bangladesh’s 64 districts,” said State Minister for Religious Affairs Faridul Haque Khan. The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Moon Sighting Committee on Wednesday after reviewing the information of Shawwal moon sighting. Also read: Celebrate Eid where you are: PM Hasina Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival of Muslims, will be celebrated amid a global pandemic like the previous year after a month of fasting. The Religious Affairs Ministry has urged devotees to offer the 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. Also read: How to celebrate EID safely during COVID-19 pandemic 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. Also read: Rain may dampen Eid celebrations 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. There will be five Eid jamaats (congregations) at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque on the day. Also read: 5 Eid jamaats to be held at National Mosque from 7am 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. However, amid the risk of virus infection thousands of people have already left the capital to celebrate the very auspicious occasion with their near and dear ones at their respective village homes. Television channels and radio stations will telecast special programmes on the occasion of Eid.

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 Met Office has forecast light to moderate rain all over the country during the day of Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival of Muslims. Bangladesh Meteorological Department made the forecast with an outlook for the subsequent two days, following the next 24 hours, commencing 6pm Tuesday. “Light to moderate rain/thunder showers accompanied by temporary gusty/squally wind is likely to occur at many places over Dhaka, Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Khulna, Barishal, Chattogram and Sylhet divisions,” it said. Also read: How to celebrate EID safely during COVID-19 pandemic Some parts of the country might see moderately heavy to heavy falls in the next 24 hours, the Met Office said. Its forecast said rain and thunder shower activities may decrease in the next five days. The National Moon Sighting Committee will meet on Wednesday evening to fix the date of Eid-ul-Fitr upon sighting of Shawwal moon. Also read: Celebrate Eid where you are: PM Hasina Meanwhile, in Saudi Arabia Eid will be observed on May 13, according to astronomical calculations. This is the first time Saudi announces the date of the Islamic calendar using astronomic technology rather than the traditional visual sighting of the moon.

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.