The holy Eid-ul-Fitr, one of the greatest religious festivals of Muslims, to be celebrated today as moon of the Shawwal month was sighted in parts of the country’s skyline on Tuesday.

State Minister for Religious Affairs Sheikh Md Abdullah announced that the shawl moon was sighted late this evening in the skyline of two northwestern districts, revising and earlier official decision that the Eid-ul-Fitr will be celebrated on Thursday, the BSS reported.

‘The holy Eid-ul-Fitr will be observed today (Wednesday) with due religious fervour and zeal Insha’Allah’, he said at a special briefing at the conference room of Islamic Foundation at Baitul Mokarram National Mosque in the capital Tuesday night.

A spokesman of the Islamic Foundation confirmed the news tonight saying, ‘The National Moon Sighting Committee took the decision after evaluating data and reports from all the district administrations, offices of Islamic Foundation, Bangladesh Meteorological Department and Space Research and Remote Sensing Organisation.’

The revised meeting was held at the conference room of Islamic Foundation at Baitul Mokarram National Mosque with committee chairman and State Minister for Religious Affairs Sheikh Md Abdullah in the chair.

Eid-ul-Fitr is Arabic word meaning ‘festival of breaking of the fast.’ The festival marks the end of the Muslim fasting month of Ramadan, the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. Muslims abstain from eating and drinking from dawn to sunset during the holy Ramadan.

On the Eid day morning, Muslims gather at mosques and prayer venues to perform Eid prayers and greet each other. The festival is celebrated by visiting friends and relatives, hosting food parties and sharing sweets. Children not only get new clothes and shoes, but also receive cash gifts called ‘Salami’ from their elders, relatives and well-wishers.

The occasion is seen as a time of forgiveness and of giving thanks to Allah for helping people to complete their month-long spiritual fasting. Many Muslims distribute cash and food to the less fortunate ones.

In most Muslim countries, the three-day Eid is declared as public holiday. In Bangladesh, festivity of the event last even for seven days. The public holiday began in the country Tuesday.

President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages on the occasion wishing the people of the country.

Intensified security measures have been taken as the nation is set to hold the Eid congregations today across the country.

The government has chalked out elaborate programmes to celebrate the holy Eid-ul-Fitr.

The national flag will be hoisted at government, semi-government, autonomous and non-government offices and other important establishments.

Important traffic islands and light posts in Dhaka city will be decorated with miniature national flags and flags inscribed with ‘Eid Mubarak’.

Besides, designated government offices and other establishments would be illuminated in the night marking the day of Eid-ul-Fitr.

Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar and all other private television channels will air special programmes highlighting significant of the event.

Improved diets will be served in hospitals, jails, orphanages, safe homes, drug addicts’ treatment centres and other shelter houses all over the country on the day.

City corporations will keep open the children parks, allowing free entry of all visitors.

The day will also be celebrated in Bangladesh missions abroad amid festivity.

The main Eid congregation in the capital will be held at the National Eidgah on the premises of the Supreme Court at 8.30 am where around one lakh devotees, including 5,000 women, will say their prayers.

Baitul Mukarram National Mosque Senior Pesh Imam Hafez Muhammad Mizanur Rahman will conduct it.

President M Abdul Hamid will say his Eid prayers at the National Eidgah. The Jatiya Eidgah has been covered with the plastic clothes considering the inclement weather.

Chief justice, ministers, advisers, lawmakers and diplomats are expected to join the Eid Jamaat at the Jatiya Eidgah.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) will ensure four-tier security at Jatiya Eidgah on the day, installing closed-circuit television (CCTV) also known as video surveillance, and setting up archways at each entry point.

Law enforcement agencies, including Rapid Action Battalion (RAB) and police, will ensure security in and around the main Eid congregation.

One of the biggest Eid congregations of the country will be held at Sholakia Eidgah Maidan in Kishoreganj.

Divisional, district and upazila administrations and local government bodies have taken preparations in their respective areas to celebrate the Eid-ul-Fitr.

A total of 568 Eid congregations will be held in the capital under two city corporations.

Of those, 298 Eid congregations will be held under the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and the rest 270 Eid congregations under the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC).

A total of two Eid congregations will be held at the Dhaka University central mosque -Masjidul Jamia.

The chief whip and whips of the Jatiya Sangsad, members of the cabinet, lawmakers and employees of the parliament secretariat will take part in the Eid congregation along with the local people.

Eid congregation will be held at Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (BUET) premises.

Around 254 Eid congregations are scheduled to be held this year at the traditional and temporary venues in the port city of Chittagong under the supervision of Chittagong Central Eid Jamaat Committee (CCEJC) and the Chittagong City Corporation (CCC) on the occasion of Eid-Ul-Fitr.