Eid tomorrow if moon sighted today

Muslims across the country will celebrate the holy Eid-ul-Fitr with due solemnity and religious fervour tomorrow subject to sighting of the Shawal moon today, report agencies.

A meeting of the National Moon Sighting Committee will be held today at 6 pm at the head office of Islamic Foundation Bangladesh in the city.

If the Shawal moon is sighted anywhere in Bangladesh, persons sighting the moon have been urged to contact the committee over telephone - 9559493, 9555951, 9555947, 9550280, 9559643, 9556407, 9558337 - or fax 9563397.

The celebration of Eid will mark the end of a month-long fasting during the holy Ramadan. This is one of the greatest religious festivals of the Muslim community.

President Justice Shahabuddin Ahmed, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and Leader of the Opposition Begum Khaleda Zia conveyed Eid greetings to the people through separate messages.

A three-day public holiday marking the Eid will begin today.

Sales in shopping malls and retail stores have reached its peak as the people are crowing for the last-minute shopping ahead of the festival.

Many people of Dhaka have already left the city for their village homes to celebrate the Eid festival with their near and dear ones.

The traffic jam, a regular phenomenon in the city, is likely to ease further with many others expected to leave by today.

The government as well as social and religious organisations have drawn up elaborate programmes to celebrate the Eid.

The programmes include Eid congregations, reunions, decorations of roads, illumination of buildings and discussion meetings.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will exchange greetings with the cross section of people at the Ganobhaban of the Eid-day.

She will exchange greetings with the members of the diplomatic missions in Dhaka from 10 am to 11 am.

She also exchange greetings with people from all walks of life there from 11 am to 12 Noon and from 3 pm to 5 pm.

In the capital, the main Eid congregation will be held at the National Eidgah in the High Court premises at 8 am.

In case of inclement weather, the congregation will be held at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque at the same time.

Four more congregations will be arranged at the Baitul Mukarram at 7 am, 8 am, 8:45 and 9:30 am, said an Islamic Foundation press release.

In Chittagong Eid congregations will be held at as many as 13 places.

The main Eid prayer will be held at Chittagong Stadium premises at 8.30 am while the other main congregation will be held at Jamiatul Falah complex at 8 am.

National Flags will be hoisted atop public and private buildings across the country on the Eid day.

City's main thoroughfares and road islands will be decorated with miniature flags and festoons inscribed with Eid Mubarak in Bangla and Arabic.

Public and private buildings will be illuminated in the evening.

Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television will put up special programmes while newspapers will bring out supplements highlighting the significance of the occasion.

Special diets will be served at all hospitals, prisons, orphanages, vagrant homes and destitute centres across the country.

The Ministry of Information will arrange screening of films and staging of cultural functions at city parks and other places after Eid prayers.

Islamic Foundation, Islamic Cultural Centres, Bangla Academy, Shishu Academy will arrange discussion meetings focusing on the significance of the day.

Children's reunions and charity football matches will be held at different places.

District and thana administrations will take up programmes in conformity with the national level programmes.

Bangladesh missions abroad will also draw up similar programmes to celebrate the Eid.