Don't get confused by misleading moon sighting news: Islamic Foundation

Islamic Foundation Bangladesh has requested all not to spread any misleading news on sighting of Shawwal moon and the date of Eid ul Fitr. It also requested people not to get confused by such news.

Islamic Foundation made this request through a news release on Thursday.

The release said some news media on Wednesday published news on moon sighting referring to information by Bangladesh Meteorological Department. The news mentioned that the moon of Shawwal would be sighted on Friday evening and Eid ul Fitr would be observed on Saturday. The news came to the notice of religious affairs ministry, Islamic Foundation and National Moon Sighting Committee.

Islamic Foudnation’s news release today said moon sighting committee is the sole authority to sight moon and take decision in this regard officially.

The release added that BMD’s director is a member of moon sighting committee. Among the other members include director of Bangladesh Space Research and Remote Sensing Organization (SPARRSO), government officials and renowned Islamic scholars of the country. The committee takes decision on moon sighting upon analysing information received from district moon sighting committees headed by the deputy commissioners. The national committee is approved by the president.

The meeting of National Moon Sighting Committee would be held at Baitul Mukarram mosque’s meeting room on Friday evening. State minister for religious affairs Md Faridul Haque Khan would chair the meeting.

Islamic Foundation said the state minister, who is also the chairman of the moon sighting committee, would announce the date of Eid ul Fitr based on information of moon sighting from around the country.