Holy Shab-e-Barat on March 18

The holy Shab-e-Barat, the night of fortune, will be observed throughout the country on the night of March 18 (Friday) as the Shaban moon of Hijri 1443 was not sighted on the sky in Bangladesh Thursday night.

The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Moon Sighting Committee held at the Islamic Foundation conference room of Baitul Mukarram here this evening with State Minister for Religious Affairs Mohammad Faridul Haque Khan in the chair, said a press release of the Islamic Foundation (IF).

As the moon of the holy Shaban month was not sighted on the sky tonight so the counting of the holy Shaban month will begin on March 5 (Saturday) next, the release added.

Muslims consider Shab-e-Barat as one of the three most sacred nights and believe that on this night Almighty Allah decides the fate of all human beings fixing their 'rizq' (livelihood) for the next year.

The Muslim devotees will offer special prayers, recite from the Holy Quran, hold milad, zikir and other religious rituals seeking divine blessings for the wellbeing of mankind.