Dhaka, April 5 -- She made the call to the devotees while speaking at a press briefing at the Ganabhaban on Sunday.

"Shab-e-Barat is coming. I would ask everyone to stay at home and pray to Allah, so that He keeps our fortune good. and may He frees us all, the people of the whole world, from this pandemic," she said.

The Muslims of Bangladesh will observe Shab-e-Barat on Apr 9 night this year.

Muslim men offer special prayers at mosques, families exchange bread and sweets, and give handouts to the poor on the occasion of Shab-e-Barat, but this year the celebrations have come amid the coronavirus pandemic.

The government has imposed strict measures, such as shutting down offices and educational institutions, and suspending transport sy...