The holy Shab-e-Barat, the night of fortune, will be observed throughout the country tonight with due religious fervour and devotion, reports BSS.

Muslims consider Shab-e-Barat as one of the three most sacred nights and believe that on this night Almighty Allah decides the fate of all human beings fixing their ‘rizq’ (livelihood) for the next year.

President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Thursday greeted all Muslims of the country and elsewhere across the world on the occasion of the holy Shab-e-Barat.

In separate messages, they urged the Muslim devotees to observe the holy Shab-e-Barat maintaining health guidelines and social distancing amid the coronavirus situation.

On the night, the devotees across the country would visit graves and pray for their beloved ones seeking their eternal peace. Many people will also visit Mazars and shrines all over the country.

Many families will prepare traditional foods like handmade rice-bread, beef and halua (a kind of dessert made usually from semolina, carrot, chickpea or papaya) both in rural and urban areas across the country.

A good number of Muslims will observe fast on the following day.

They will distribute food and sweets among the neighbours and the poor.

Besides, food and money will be distributed among the destitute people on the occasion.

On this occasion, the Islamic Foundation (IF) has chalked out programmes at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque.

IF will hold waz (religious sermons) and doa-mahfils titled “Importance and Significance of The holy Shab-e-Barat” at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque on Friday and Saturday next after Maghrib and Esha prayers.

To prevent COVID-19 infections, all Muslims are requested to participate in the programme in accordance with proper hygiene rules.

Besides, religious sermons highlighting the significance of Shab-e-Barat will be delivered at various mosques after Maghrib prayers alongside holding while special munajat after Esha prayers tomorrow in the country.

Tomorrow will be a public holiday on the occasion of the holy Shab-e-Barat.

Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar, and private television channels and radio stations will air special programmes on the occasion while newspapers will publish special supplements highlighting the significance of the night.