The holy Shab-e-Barat, known as the night of fortune, is being observed across the country tonight with due religious fervour and devotion.The Muslim devotees are spending the night at mosques and homes offering prayers, reciting from the holy Quran and seeking blessings to Allah for long life, peace, progress and happiness for themselves, their families, relatives and friends as well as the nation and the Muslim Ummah.President M Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages yesterday greeting all Muslims of Bangladesh and elsewhere the world on the occasion of holy Shab-e-Barat.They prayed for peace, progress and prosperity of the nation as well as the Muslim Ummah of whole world.Muslims consider Shab-e-Barat as one of three most sacred nights and believe that on this night Almighty Allah decides the fate of all human beings fixing their `rizq` (livelihood) for the next year.On the night, the devotees across the country visit graves and pray for their beloved ones seeking their eternal peace.Many are also visit mazars, shrines of saints all over the country. Many families have prepared traditional foods like handmade rice-bread with beef and halua both at rural and urban areas across the country on the occasion.A good number of Muslims will observe fast tomorrow. They will distribute food and sweets among the neighbours and the poor. Besides, foods and money will be distributed among the destitute on the occasion.Islamic Foundation Bangladesh (IFB) chalked out nightlong elaborate programmes at the Baitul Mokarram National Mosque. The programmes included recitation from the holy Quran, hamd-nath, waj-mahfil, milad, quiam and special munajat.Tomorrow is national holiday. Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar, and private television channels and radio stations has been broadcasting special programmes highlighting significance of the night.Source: BSS