Eid-ul-Fitr on Monday

NEWS DESK

Muslims in Bangladesh will celebrate the Eid-ul-Fitr on Monday as the moon of the Islamic calendar month of Shawwal was not sighted on Saturday.

The National Moon-Sighting Committee announced the decision after a meeting at the Islamic Foundation in Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in the evening.

The Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival in Bangladesh, comes at a time when the country is going through an escalating crisis of coronavirus which is registering surging counts of infections and deaths daily.

The eid held after completion of the 30 days in Ramadan, said Religious Affairs Secretary Md Nurul Islam, who presided over the meeting.

The lockdown, which has stretched nearly two months in the country to reduce the spread, has been winded down during the days of Ramadan.

In an effort to limit the spread of the disease, the government has placed several restrictions on public life, asking citizens to shelter in place and avoid gatherings to maintain social distancing rules.

Similarly, restrictions were also imposed on congregational prayers at mosques to limit the risk of contagion although the government decided to relax the curbs as long as devotees followed a set of safety protocols.

The government, however, has urged Muslims not to offer Eid prayers in congregations at Eidgah or on open grounds, but at mosques to reduce the risk of coronavirus infection.

Worshippers have been requested to offer Eid prayers at nearby mosques in their localities.

Bangladesh has reported 1,873 new COVID-19 cases, the highest in a single day, raising the tally to 32,078 on Saturday.

The death toll from the coronavirus rose to 452 after 20 more fatalities were registered in the 24 hours to 8am, according to the health directorate.