The holy Shab-e-Barat, the night of fortune and forgiveness, will be observed on May 1 as the Shaban moon was sighted in Bangladesh sky yesterday.

The National Moon Sighting Committee took the decision at a meeting at the Islamic Foundation office at Baitul Mukarram last evening.

Shamim Mohammad Afzal, director general of Islamic Foundation and member secretary of the National Moon Sighting Committee, chaired the meeting.

Shab-e-Barat is observed on the 15th night of Shaban month.

According to Muslim belief, Shab-e-Barat is the night when Allah arranges the affairs of the following year. On Shab-e-Barat, Allah writes the destinies of all the creations for the coming year by taking into account their past deeds.

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.