Ramadan starts Friday

FT ONLINE

The holy Ramadan, the lunar month of self-purification through fasting and abstinence, begins in the country tomorrow as the new moon was not sighted anywhere in Bangladesh sky yesterday.

Lailatul Qadr, the night of divine blessings and benediction, will be observed on the night of June 12.

The National Moon Sighting Committee made the decision at a meeting at Islamic Foundation's Baitul Mukarram office with Religious Affairs Minister and committee Chairman Matior Rahman in the chair.

Muslims fast from dawn to dusk during the lunar month, a time of restraint and austerity.

During the holy month, all government, semi-government, autonomous and semi-autonomous institutions will follow new office timing as announced by the government.

All the offices will remain open from 9:00am to 3:30pm with a 15-minute Zohr prayer break from 1:15pm to 1:30pm during the month.