Dhaka, March 20 -- People in parts of Bangladesh are celebrating Eid-ul-Fitr, observing the festival on the same day as Saudi Arabia and other Middle Eastern countries.

Eid is being marked in a number of villages across several districts, including Chandpur, Jamalpur, Satkhira and Jhalakathi, where local congregations were held on Friday morning, a day before the official observance of the festival in the rest of the country.

Men and women offered prayers separately before exchanging Eid greetings after the prayers.

Although the Shawwal moon was not sighted in Bangladesh, residents in some of these areas have long observed Eid a day earlier on the basis of international moon sightings and local religious tradition.

CHANDPUR

Eid is be...