Dhaka: The holy Shab-e-Barat, or the night of fortune and forgiveness, was observed in Bangladesh last night with due religious fervour.

The Muslim devotees would spend the night at mosques and homes offering prayers, reciting from the holy Quran and seeking blessings to Allah for long life, peace, progress and happiness for themselves, their families, relatives and friends as well as the nation and the Muslim Ummah, reports the UNB.

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

In his message, President Abdul Hamid said the holy Shab-e-Barat is a magnificent and blissful night for the Muslims. The night is imminent, like in the previous years, heralding the advent of the holy month of Ramadan and fortune, he added.

He wished mercy, progress and welfare for the whole mankind.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her message, said the night of fortune brings mercy and blessings of Almighty Allah for the whole mankind. He shows His greatness of forgiving and fulfilling desires, she added.

The premier wished that the holy Shab-e-Barat would bring the message of happiness, peace and development for all.

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.

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

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

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, foods and money will be distributed among the destitute on the occasion.

On the occasion, the Islamic Foundation (IF) has chalked out a nightlong programme at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque.

The programmes include recitation from the holy Quran, hamd-nath, waz mahfil (religious sermons), milad, qiyam, zikr and special munajat, said an IF press release here.

According to the press release, Principal of Tejgaon Madinatul Ulum Kamil Madrasah Mawlana Abdur Razzaq Al Azhari will deliver sermons highlighting the significance of Shab-e-Barat at 7:05pm.

Pesh imam of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque Mawlana Muhiuddin Quashem will deliver sermons on the importance of Ibadat and doa at 9:05 pm.

Pesh imam of the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque Mufti Mawlana Ehsanul Haque Zilani will narrate the importance of the holy night and Ramadan at 11:40 pm.

Senior Pesh Imam of the National Mosque Hafez Mawlana Muhammad Mizanur Rahman will discuss the importance and advantage of the ‘tahajjut’ prayers at 1:55am. Finally, he will administer the akheri munajat (final prayers) after Fazr prayers.

The day (Monday) 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 articles.