Tajikistan: Eid al-Fitr (end of Ramadan) June 25

Event

The Muslim holy month of Ramadan, which began on May 27, will come to an end at sundown on Sunday, June 25. During this time, operations in Tajikistan may come to a virtual standstill as Muslims gather to pray and celebrate with family and friends. While practices vary by area, Eid al-Fitr celebrations are likely to have an impact on many businesses, stock exchanges, and services (including administrative services) that will close or significantly reduce their hours of operation on Sunday evening and potentially into Monday. As this period is typically marked by increased travel, heavy road traffic after sundown along with other transportation disruptions (crowded airports, etc.) is to be anticipated.

Context

Eid al-Fitr celebrates the conclusion of 30 days of dawn-to-sunset fasting and remains one of the most important dates on the Muslim calendar. Generally speaking, the month of Ramadan is historically marred by a significant increase in terrorist threats and as such there is a potential for attacks to be carried out during Eid celebrations.

Nearly 98 percent of the Tajik population is Muslim, 27 percent of which support some form of sharia law, a legal code based on the Quran and other Islamic scripture, as the official law of the land in their country.

Advice

Individuals in Tajikistan are advised to allow for additional travel time, avoid large public gatherings, and report any suspicious objects or behavior. Generally speaking, travelers are advised to avoid the Gorno-Badakhshan Autonomous Oblast (GBAO), a restricted zone along the border with Afghanistan which requires a special government permit for entry.