1. The Moon Sighting Method and the IIC Debate:

In Bangladesh, a long-standing debate regarding the observance of religious festivals centers on the method of moon sighting and the question of following the International Islamic Calendar (IIC). On October 2, 2025, while the National Moon Sighting Committee declared it to be the 9th of Rabiʿ al-Thani, according to Saudi Arabia it was the 10th. In this context, it appears that even major Hindu religious festivals like Durga Puja are being observed following Saudi Arabia’s lunarআমি calendar. Not only Hindus, but the Buddhist community in Bangladesh also celebrates Buddha Purnima according to the Saudi calendar, as they believe the dates announced by the National Moon Sighting Committee are inaccurate.

2. A Picture of Contradiction:
At the same time, a strange contradiction becomes evident. In the Islamic world, Muslims observe fasting and Eid according to the Saudi moon sighting endorsed by the OIC Sharia Board-approved International Islamic Calendar. But Muslims in Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and several other countries often celebrate religious festivals one day later. As a result, confusion and inconsistency emerge in the picture of global Muslim unity.

3. Religious Basis vs. Regional Custom:
The Qur’an and Hadith clearly mention the matter of moon sighting. However, nowhere does it state that each territory must observe it separately. Rather, the directive is to reliably ascertain the rising of the moon in the sky. Yet, local moon sighting committees determine dates primarily based on their geographical position, which often conflicts with modern astronomy and the global lunar position.

4. The Scientific Perspective:
Today’s modern space science and astronomy can easily determine with precision the birth, visibility, and position of the moon for any region of the world. Nevertheless, in many South Asian countries, this technological knowledge is ignored in favor of local committees and traditional decisions. As a result, conflicts and confusion arise almost every year in Bangladesh regarding Eid, Ramadan, or Puja calendars.

5. Socio-Religious Impact:
Muslims in Bangladesh often celebrate Eid one day after Saudi Arabia. Yet, in the same country, the Hindu and Buddhist communities celebrate their festivals according to the Saudi calendar. This raises questions among ordinary people—when technology, the Qur’an and Hadith, and global unity point in one direction, why should Muslim festivals be delayed by a day merely due to regional custom?

6. The Need for Harmonization of Geography, Religion, and Science:
In fact, the root cause of this confusion about moon sighting is the lack of sufficient knowledge of astronomy, geography, and Islamic Sharia. When Hindus and Buddhists are accepting Saudi Arabia’s calculation in light of reality, it is unfortunate that contradictions remain among Muslims. Islam is a religion of unity—so why can Muslims not follow one calendar in unison?

Now is the time for Bangladesh and other South Asian countries to adopt the International Islamic Calendar, so that confusion can be removed and the Muslim world can observe Eid, fasting, and other religious rituals together. The unification of geography, science, and religious knowledge—the OIC has already provided this permanent solution. Yet, dogmatism persists.