Bangladesh to celebrate Shab-e-Barat on Feb 14 night

The Muslim festival of Shab-e-Barat will be celebrated in Bangladesh on Feb 14 night, the National Moon-Sighting Committee has announced.

It fixed the date in a meeting presided over by Religious Affairs Advisor AFM Khalid Hossain at the Islamic Foundation in the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque on Thursday.

The day after Shab-e-Barat is a public holiday in Bangladesh by executive order.

It means the holiday will fall on Feb 15.

Shab-e-Barat falls on the night of the 14th of the month of Shaban in the Islamic calendar.

It is celebrated 15 days before the arrival of Ramadan, the month of fasting for Muslims.

Muslims offer special prayers at mosques and homes, families exchange bread and sweets, and give handouts to the poor on the occasion of Shab-e-Barat.