Shab-e-Barat, the holy night of fortune and forgiveness, will be observed on the night of April 21 as the moon of Sha'ban month was not sighted in Bangladesh sky on April 6.

The decision was taken at a meeting of National Moon Sighting Committee held at the Islamic Foundation's Baitul Mukarram office this afternoon, with State Minister for Religious Affairs Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah in the chair, said a press release.

The members of 11-member sub-committee, formed with many Islamic scholars on April 13 to resolve the confusion over the date of the holy night, were also present at the meeting, the press release said.

The High Court yesterday did not allow a religious organisation to file a petition seeking to observe the holy Shab-e-Barat on an earlier date.

In its observation, the bench termed the issue “a sensitive matter” and said it should not be brought before the court.

It asked petitioners to wait until today’s, when a committee -- formed on April 13 to resolve the confusion over the date of the holy night.

Majlisu Ruiatul Hilal, described by their lawyer as an “unregistered international moon-sighting committee”, sought permission from the HC to move the writ petition seeking its directives on the Islamic Foundation so that it declares that Shab-e-Barat would be observed on the night of April 20 as the Sha'ban moon was sighted in Bangladesh on April 6.

The HC bench of Justice FRM Nazmul Ahasan and Justice KM Kamrul Kader, however, did not permit the writ petition to be filed.

Shab-e-Barat is observed on the 15th night of the Arabic month of Shaban and people of Muslim Ummah offer special prayers, recite the Holy Quran and take part in other religious rituals.

The National Moon Sighting Committee on April 6 announced that Shab-e-Barat will be observed on April 21 in Bangladesh as the moon of the month of Sha’ban was not sighted in Bangladesh sky on April 6.

But there were claims that the moon was sighted on April 6 and to resolve the confusion, the government formed an 11-member sub-committee on April 13.

During today’s meeting, the sub-committee prompted the National Moon Sighting Committee to uphold its previous decision.