The crescent moon marking the beginning of the holy month of Muharram for the year 1448 Hijri was sighted in Bangladesh sky on Tuesday, the National Moon Sighting Committee announced.
According to a statement issued by the Islamic Foundation, the sighting of the moon means the holy month of Muharram will begin on Wednesday (June 17), while Ashura will be observed on Friday (June 26).
Holy Ashura is commemorated on the 10th day of Muharram in the Hijri calendar, marking the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain (RA), the grandson of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (SM).
Ashura is a public holiday in Bangladesh under an executive order.
The decision was taken at a meeting of the National Moon Sighting Committee held on Tuesday evening at the Islamic Foundation's conference room at Baitul Mukarram with Md Fazlur Rahman, additional secretary of the Ministry of Religious Affairs, in the chair.
The committee reviewed reports received from district administrations across the country, the Islamic Foundation’s headquarters and its divisional and district offices, the Bangladesh Meteorological Department, the Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization (SPARRSO) before confirming the sighting of the Muharram moon and fixing the date of Ashura.
