As the moon was not sighted, the 30th day of the month of Rajab will be completed on Tuesday (January 20), and the month of Shaban will begin on Wednesday (January 21). Accordingly, the 15th night of Shaban, known as Shab-e-Barat, will fall on the night of February 3.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Moon Sighting Committee held at the Islamic Foundation’s conference room at Baitul Mukarram on Monday (January 19) evening. The meeting was presided over by Secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs Md. Kamal Uddin.
The committee reviewed reports and information received from district administrations across the country, the Islamic Foundation’s head office and its divisional and district offices, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, and the Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization (SPARSO) before reaching the decision.
Laylatul Barat, commonly known as Shab-e-Barat, is observed on the 15th night of the Islamic month of Shaban. In line with the decision, February 4 (Wednesday), the day following Shab-e-Barat, will be observed as a government holiday by executive order.
The meeting was attended by Islamic Foundation Director General A. Salam Khan; Cabinet Division Joint Secretary Mohammad Khorshed Alam Khan; Chief Information Officer Md. Nizamul Kabir; Principal of Dhaka Alia Madrasa Professor Mohammad Obaidul Haque; Governor of the Islamic Foundation Board of Governors Maulana Syed Md. Mosaddek Billah Al Madani; Bangladesh Television Director Md. Zahirul Islam Mia; Director of the Islamic Foundation’s Religious Dawah and Culture Department Dr. Mohammad Harunur Rashid; Bangladesh Meteorological Department Director Md. Mominul Islam; SPARSO Chief Scientific Officer Dr. Muhammad Shahidul Islam; former Chairman of the Department of Dawa and Islamic Education at Chittagong International Islamic University Dr. Abdullah Faruk; and Vice-Chancellor of Jamiatul Uloom Islamia Abdul Gaffar, among others.
