Eid today

Holy Eid-ul-Fitr, the largest religious festival of Muslims, to be celebrated in the country today (Wednesday) as the Shawwal moon was sighted in Bangladesh sky on Tuesday night.

The decision was taken at the second meeting of the National Moon Sighting Committee on Tuesday night after reassessing the information about the Shawwal moon sighting.

State Minister for Religious Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah came up with the announcement around 11:00pm.

He said they revised the decision as they later got information about moon sighting in the country's sky.

Earlier at a press conference in the evening, the state minister had saidthe new crescent moon was sighted nowhere in Bangladesh on Tuesday.

Meanwhile, thousands of people have already left the capital to celebrate the Eid with their near and dear ones at their respective village homes.

Besides, all the preparations have been completed across the country, including the capital, for smooth holding of Eid congregations.

In the capital, the main Eid congregation will be held at the National Eidgah on the High Court premises at 8:30am. President Abdul Hamid is expected to join the Eid jamaat.

However, the venue of the main congregation will be shifted to Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in case of inclement weather. In that case, the jamaat will be held at 9:00am.

Besides, five more congregations will be held at the National Mosque.

Arrangements will be there at the National Eidgah and the National Mosque for women to take part in the Eid prayers alongside their male counterparts.

Eid congregations will also be held in eidgahs, mosques and open spaces across the country.

Sholakia Eidgah in Kishoreganj and Gor-e-Shahid Boro Math in Dinajpur are all set to host two largest Eid congregations.

The national flag will be hoisted atop government and non-government office buildings on the day. The main city streets and road islands will be decorated with the national flag and banners inscribed with 'Eid Mubarak' in both Bangla and Arabic.

Television channels and radio stations will air special programmes.

Special diet will be served in hospitals, jails, government children homes, centres for persons with disabilities, shelter homes, orphanages, vagrant welfare and destitute welfare centres.

Meanwhile, Dhaka Metropolitan Police has taken stringent security measures to ensure smooth holding of Eid congregation at the Jatiya Eidgah.