The holy month of Ramadan of 1444 Hijri will begin in Bangladesh on Friday.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Moon-Sighting Committee in the conference room of the Islamic Foundation (IF) at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque on Wednesday.
As per the decision, the holy Shab-e-Qadr or Lailatul Qadr, the night when the first verses of the holy Quran were revealed to Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), will be observed on the night of April 18.
According to the IF, Muslims will perform the first Taraweeh prayer on Thursday night and they will have sehri in the early hours of Friday.
Muslims are meant to fast from dawn to dusk during the lunar month, a time of restraint and austerity.
President Md Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages greeting the countrymen and all Muslims across the world on the occasion of the start of the holy month of Ramadan.
President Md Abdul Hamid said: "The holy month of Ramadan filled with blessings has come again after a year. This holy month brings a unique opportunity of getting closer to Allah and attaining taqwa (fear of Allah).”
Noting that the whole Muslim Ummah observes the month with due religious fervour to attain self-restraint, self-rectification and forgiveness, he said fasting plays a vital role in establishing sympathy, amity and brotherhood among all, including the rich and the poor.
The president hoped that the people would be able to realize the sanctity and significance of the holy Ramadan and reflect it in their personal and social lives, and contribute to building a peaceful society.
He said the whole world including Bangladesh is facing an economic crisis due to the impacts of the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war.
The president urged the affluent to extend their helping hands to the poor during the month of Ramadan.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said this holy month creates an opportunity for self-rectification through self-restraint and getting closer to the Almighty Allah.
The fasting plays a vital role in establishing sympathy, amity and brotherhood among all, including the rich and the poor, she added.
"Let us be inspired by the teachings of Ramadan and protect the holiness of the month showing modesty, patience and restraint at all levels of life and shunning all forms of pleasure, hatred, merriment and conflict," Sheikh Hasina said.
Ramadan, also known as Ramzan, is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar. It is a time when Muslims around the world focus on prayers, fasting, giving charity and religious devotion.
All government, semi-government and private offices have announced new office schedules coinciding with special arrangements for iftars for their officers, employees and staff.
At a meeting on Tuesday, Food Minister Sadhan Chandra Majumdar said there is no reason for hiking prices of essential commodities during the month of Ramadan as the country has enough food in stock.
He urged businessmen to avoid malpractices to keep the prices of essentials stable.
Fisheries and Livestock Ministry sources said the government has taken initiatives to sell three key essential commodities – milk, egg and meat – at fair prices in Dhaka in Ramadan.
Under the initiative, 20 spots have been selected for selling the three commodities. One kilogram of beef will cost Tk640, mutton Tk940 and dressed broiler meat Tk340, per litre of milk Tk80, and a piece of egg Tk12.