UAE confirms start of Eid al-Fitr holiday on Wednesday

The moon-sighting committee in the UAE has announced that Tuesday will be the last day of Ramadan, with Wednesday the first day of Eid al-Fitr.

Sultan bin Saeed Al Badi, Minister of Justice and chair of the committee, said in a statement published by news agency WAM that the committee has not sighted the Shawwal crescent moon for the Hijri year of 1437 and ruled that Wednesday will be the first day of Shawwal.

Workers in the private sector will get the first and second days of the month of Shawwal as holidays to mark Eid Al Fitr.

Public sector workers were given a seven-day holiday, starting on Sunday.