Muslims across Bangladesh are observing the holy night of Shab-e-Barat with prayers throughout the night following Tuesday, while graveyards have been decorated with lights as devotees seek forgiveness for the departed souls.

In villages and many urban areas, families traditionally prepare homemade rice bread, halua, beef curry and biryani, which are shared with relatives, neighbours and the poor on the occasion.

On this occasion, Islamic Foundation has chalked out programmes at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque in Dhaka.

The foundation is holding religious sermons, prayer session, special prayers, recitation from the Quran and Hamd-Naat at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque from Tuesday evening.

Besides, religious sermons centering the Shab-e-Barat are being delivered at different mosques after Maghrib prayers alongside holding special munajat after Isha prayers tomorrow in the country.

On the occasion, chief adviser Muhammad Yunus has issued a message greeting all Muslims of the country and elsewhere across the world.

On this night, a huge number of devotees visit the nearest graveyards and offer special prayers seeking eternal peace of the departed souls of their near and dear ones.

People also distribute money, food and sweetmeat among the poor and destitute people.

In Old Dhaka, residents largely rely on bakeries due to limited space for home cooking. Large, handmade ‘mega-sized’ breads, along with chickpea halwa, carrot halwa and semolina halwa, are prepared and displayed for sale at street corners across the area.

In Chawk Bazar, the century-old traditional bread and halua market reopened for Shab-e-Barat on Tuesday evening.

Buyers began arriving in Chawk Bazar, Shahi Mosque and nearby alleys shortly after sunset. Traders said the crowd was slightly smaller than last year, though it increased as the night progressed.

Breads are sold by weight, with special breads priced at Tk 300 per kg and regular ones at Tk 250 per kg. Carrot halwa sells for Tk 300 per kg, chickpea halwa for Tk 350 per kg and semolina halwa for Tk 250 per kg. Sales continue throughout the night.

Shops selling prayer caps, rosaries, perfumes and kohl also remained busy. Graveyards in Old Dhaka and Keraniganj have been decorated with lights, attracting people of all ages to pray for deceased relatives. Children and teenagers were seen buying fireworks and candles, while families distributed sliced bread and halua among neighbours, the poor and beggars near the graveyards.