The holy Shab-e-Barat, known as the night of fortune, will be observed tonight across the country with due religious fervour.

Muslim devotees would spend the night at mosques and homes offering prayers, reciting from the holy Quran to seek blessings of Almighty Allah.

Muslims consider Shab-e-Barat as one of three most sacred nights and believe that on this night Allah decides the fate of all human beings for the next year.

Devotees will visit graves of their beloved ones and pray for the peace of their souls. Many will distribute food and sweets among neighbours and the poor. Many will fast tomorrow.

The Islamic Foundation and other religious organisations have drawn up many programmes, including discussions, hamd, naat, milad, zikr and doa on the occasion of Shab-e-Barat.

Islamic Foundation will organise nightlong programmes at Baitul Mukarram national mosque.

Tomorrow will be a public holiday for the Shab-e-Barat.

Meanwhile, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday greeted all Muslims of Bangladesh and elsewhere across the world on the occasion of holy Shab-e-Barat.

In separate messages, they prayed for peace, progress and prosperity of the nation as well as of the Muslim Ummah.

Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar and private television and radio stations will air special programmes.

The daily newspapers will publish special articles highlighting the significance of the night.