Staff Reporter :The holy month of Ramzan begins tomorrow (Friday) in Bangladesh, as the new moon was not sighted anywhere in the country’s sky on Wednesday. The National Moon Sighting Committee on Wednesday evening made the announcement after reviewing reports on moon sighting for the month of Ramzan, 1436 Hijri. Religious Affairs Minister and Chairman of the committee Principal Motiur Rahman presided over the meeting held at the Islamic Foundation’s Baitul Mukarram office. Religious Affairs Secretary Dr Chowdhury Md Babul Hasan, Khatib of Baitul Mukarram National Mosque Professor Maulana Mohammad Salahuddin and Principal of Madrasha-e-Alia Dhaka Professor Sirajuddin Ahmed attended the meeting, among others. The Minister said that Thursday would be the last day of the month of Shaban on completion of 30 days and the month of Ramzan will begin on Friday. Meanwhile, the month of fasting begins in Saudi Arabia, the United States and some other countries today (Thursday). Ramzan is the ninth lunar month in the Islamic calendar. The Muslims keep from food and drink from dawn to dusk. The Ramzan is also a month of training. It teaches mankind to ameliorate ethics and morality, discipline, fraternity, to feel for the poor, and to guard against evils. The first eight verses of the holy Qu’ran were revealed to the Prophet Muhammad (SM) in this month. Fasting during Ramzan is one of the five pillars (fundamental religious duties) in Islam.
