Int’l media predict Eid in Bangladesh Monday!
As the crescent moon of Shawwal remains unseen, international media outlets are already predicting Eid-ul-Fitr in Bangladesh will fall on Monday, March 31.
Reports from UAE-based Khaleej Times and Gulf News confidently claim the moon was not sighted in Bangladesh on Saturday—but they provide no official source for their assertion.
Meanwhile, India’s Hindustan Times has also backed the Monday Eid theory, citing a post from the International Astronomy Center (IAC) on X (formerly Twitter).
What the BMD Says
Despite the foreign reports, Bangladesh’s Meteorological Department is staying cautious. When contacted, an official—speaking on condition of anonymity—said,
"We have faced issues before for commenting on this. The National Moon Sighting Committee will make the official announcement."
However, earlier on March 13, the department had projected that the Shawwal moon would be visible in Bangladesh on the evening of March 30. A report by meteorologist Mohammad Abdur Rahman Khan stated that: At sunset on March 30, the moon will be 1.05 days old, positioned 14 degrees above the horizon, and visible for 43.4 minutes after sunset.
On March 31, it will be 2.05 days old, remaining visible for nearly two hours after sunset.
An unnamed meteorologist added, “The moon’s position and visibility time suggest a strong possibility of it being seen with the naked eye on March 30.”
Moon sighting committee to meet Sunday
The National Moon Sighting Committee will hold an official meeting on Sunday, March 30, at 6:30pm at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque to make the final decision. The meeting, presided over by Religious Affairs Advisor AFM Khalid Hossain, will analyze moon-sighting reports from across the country.
If the moon is spotted on March 30 (Sunday evening) Eid-ul-Fitr will be on Monday, March 31.
If the moon remains unseen Ramadan will be 30 days long, and Eid will be celebrated on Tuesday, April 1.
Religious Affairs Adviser AFM Khalid Hossain, addressing reports in international media about Bangladesh’s Eid date, told Jago News, "The National Moon Sighting Committee will convene on Sunday evening to make an official decision on Eid. Until then, we have no statement on the matter."
