The holy month of Ramadan for the 1446 Hegira begins in Bangladesh with the sighting of the crescent moon on the skies of the country on Saturday evening.
Muslims across the country will observe fasting from dawn till dusk throughout the lunar month to exercise spiritual devotion, self-restraint and charity.
The announcement came following a meeting of the National Moon-sighting Committee in the conference room of the Islamic Foundation at Baitul Mukarram National Mosque.
The moon was sighted in various parts of the country. Devout Muslims performed the first Tarawih prayers after Isha on Saturday night.
The fasting ritual began with Sehri, the pre-dawn meal, early Sunday morning.
The interim government's chief adviser, Prof Dr Muhammad Yunus, greeted the nation and the Muslims worldwide on the eve of the fasting month of Ramadan.
In his message, the CA said: "On the occasion of the holy month of Ramadan, I extend my heartfelt greetings to the countrymen and the Muslim Ummah."
He emphasised that souls are purified through exercising self-restraint during this sacred month.
"It is a wonderful opportunity to attain the blessings, closeness, and forgiveness of Almighty Allah," cited Dr Yunus.
On the occasion, office hours have been revised for government, semi-government, autonomous and semi-autonomous organisations.
Offices will run from 9:00 am to 3:30 pm with a 15-minute break from 1:15 to 1:30 for Zuhr prayers, according to a notification issued by the Ministry of Public Administration.
However, essential services, including banks, financial institutions, postal services, railways, hospitals and state-run industries, will determine their schedules based on operational needs.
The Supreme Court set specific office hours for all courts. Most of the educational institutions across Bangladesh will remain closed for over a month in observance of Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr.
Primary schools will be closed from February 26 to April 06, while secondary and lower secondary schools will remain closed from February 28 to April 08.
Madrasa classes ended on February 24, with institutions set to reopen on April 07. Colleges and technical institutes will also remain closed from February 28 to April 05.
Dhaka's metro rail service will also operate under a revised schedule during Ramadan, though schedules for Fridays and Saturdays will remain unchanged.
Passengers will be permitted to carry a 250ml water bottle before and after iftar, but must dispose of it in designated bins.
Food consumption remains prohibited inside trains, on platforms and in concourses as per a circular issued by the Dhaka Mass Transit Company Ltd (DMTCL) on Saturday.
Under the new schedule, trains travelling from Uttara to Motijheel will operate at 10-minute intervals from 7:10 am to 7:30 am, at eight-minute intervals from 7:31 am to 6:50 pm.
On the other hand, trains will return at 10-minute intervals from 6:51 pm to 9:00 pm.
In the opposite direction, from Motijheel to Uttara, trains will run at 10-minute intervals from 7:30 am to 8:00 am, at eight-minute intervals from 8:01 am to 7:30 pm and will again operate at 10-minute intervals from 7:31 pm to 9:40 pm.
Meanwhile, the holy night of Shab-e-Qadr, also known as Lailatul Qadr, will be observed on the night of Wednesday, March 26.
This night holds special significance for Muslims, as it marks the first revelation of the Holy Quran to Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH).
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