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Holy Eid-ul-Fitr, the largest religious festival of Muslims, will be celebrated in Bangladesh on April 22 or 23, depending on the sighting of the new moon.
The Eid will be celebrated Saturday (tomorrow) if the Shawwal moon is sighted in Bangladesh skies this (Friday) evening. Or else, the festival takes place on Sunday.
President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina have greeted the countrymen as well as the Muslims across the world on the occasion of the holy Eid-ul-Fitr, one of the biggest religious festivals of the Muslim Ummah.
They issued separate messages praying for continued peace, progress and prosperity of the country, the Muslim Ummah, interfaith harmony and global peace.
According to state-owned Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha (BSS), the National Moon Sighting Committee will meet this (Friday) evening at the conference room of the Islamic Foundation at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in the capital to fix the Eid date.
President of the National Moon Sighting Committee and State Minister for Religious Affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan will chair the meeting, said a press release on Thursday.
The meeting will review the information on the sighting of the moon in the month of Shawwal in the Arabic year 1444 and fix the date for the Eid-ul-Fitr celebration.
After reviewing the moon sighting information, the committee will fix the date for the holy Eid-ul-Fitr.
The Islamic Foundation has requested people to inform if the moon of the holy month of Shawwal is seen anywhere in the sky of Bangladesh.
Moon-sighting information can be reported to deputy commissioners and upazila nirbahi officers (UNOs) of the region concerned.
Besides, people can call these numbers - 02-223381725, 02-41050912, 02-41050916 and 02-41050917.
Meanwhile, braving blistering summer heat, people in droves continued leaving the populous capital city, Dhaka, by all modes of transport available to celebrate the festival at their native homes with their near and dear ones.
Shopping malls in Dhaka and elsewhere in the country were abuzz with shoppers doing last-minute buy for the festival.
In his message, the president said that after the month-long fasting and moderation, the holy Eid-ul-Fitr has come to the people with the message of immense happiness and joy.
"On this occasion, I extend my sincere greetings to the countrymen and the entire Muslim Ummah," the head of the state added.
Noting that the Eid-ul-Fitr is one of the most important religious festivals of the Muslims, he said: "The Eid is our universal festival. The joy of Eid spreads among everyone in villages and all over Bengal as well as all over the world".
Forgetting all differences on this day, people of all classes and professions join in one row and share the joy of Eid, he said, adding that Eid builds bonds of amity, harmony and unity among all.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in her message conveyed her sincere greetings and Eid Mubarak to all the Muslims of the country and the world.
"Eid teaches a unique lesson of peace, sympathy and brotherhood," the premier said.
Forgetting hatred and violence, people are bound by the bonds of equality, friendship and harmony (on this day), she said, adding that Eid brings a message of joy in the life of everyone irrespective of rich and poor.
She hoped that the self-purification, moderation, harmony and harmony of the Muslims will pervade in lives of individual, family, society and state.
"May the life of every person be filled with happiness and endless joy of the holy Eid," she wished.