The holy Shab-e-Barat, the night of fortune, was observed in the country on Sunday night with due solemnity and religious fervour.

Muslim devotees spent the night offering special prayers, zikir, reciting from the holy Quran, holding milad and other religious rituals to seek divine blessings for peace and happiness for themselves and also for the wellbeing of mankind.

They visited graveyards of their relatives and Muslim saints and prayed to the Almighty for the eternal peace of the departed souls.

Muslims also distributed sweets and homemade foods among the poor, their neighbours, friends and relatives on the occasion.

According to Muslim belief, on this night Almighty Allah decides the fate of all creatures for the coming year taking into account their past deeds.

Islamic Foundation Bangladesh and various religious and socio-cultural organisations organised elaborate programmes.

Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar, private TV channels and radio stations aired special programmes, while newspapers ran articles, highlighting the significance of the night.