The new moon will end the month long fasting by the devoted Muslims during the month of Ramadan. The Muslims will offer Eid prayers seeking divine blessings and eternal peace, progress and prosperity of the Muslim Ummah during the Eid.

They would also pay visits to relatives and friends, exchanging greetings amidst a festive mood.

President Iajuddin Ahmed and Prime Minister Khaleda Zia in separate messages greeted the nation on the eve of the Eid. They have sought divine blessings and peace, progress and prosperity of the country and the Muslim Ummah.

The 18-member National Moon Sighting Committee led by State Minister for Religious Affairs Mosharref Hossain Shahjahan sits today at the conference room of Islamic Foundation Bangladesh at Baitul Mokarram National Mosque to confirm the moon sighting.

If the moon is sighted, the committee will declare the Eid; otherwise, the festival will be celebrated across the country on Saturday.

The district-level moon-sighting committees will inform the national committee if the moon is sighted anywhere in the country.

The deputy commissioners of every district will also hold meetings at the same time at their district headquarters in this regard.

The committee will also collect information from the meteorological department for confirming the moon sighting.

Thousands of people have already left Dhaka to celebrate the Eid with relatives and near and dear ones. The busy and crowded city has already taken a deserted look as the government and private offices would remain closed from today. The government offices will open on Monday after a four-day Eid holiday.

The main Eid congregation will be held at Jatiya Eidgah on the High Court premises in the morning of the Eid day.

President Iajuddin Ahmed and senior ministers, government high-ups and the elite will say their prayer at the Jatiya Eidgah. Several Eid congregations will be held at the Baitul Mokarram National Mosque from the morning.

Besides, more Eid congregations would be held at all major mosques, Eidgahs and open spaces in the city.

The main Eid congregation in Sylhet Division will be held at the historic Shahi Eidgah at 9:00am and in Barisal Division at Hemaet Uddin Eidgah Maidan.

Meanwhile, thousands of people in different small areas of the country, particularly in Chandpur, Barisal Patuakhali and Barguna celebrated the Eid yesterday.

More than 30,000 people of 10,000 families observed the Eid yesterday and said Eid prayers at over 80 congregations, reports Our Barisal Correspondent.

They followed the Saudi Arabian lunar calendar in celebrating the Eid and claimed they observe all religious festivals in accordance with the Saudi calendar at the directions of their religious leaders.