The Qatar Calendar House predicted that the beginning of the holy month this year may fall on Thursday 23 March, based on astronomical calculations.

Qatar’s public sector employees will work five hours a day throughout the month of Ramadan, Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs Mohamed Al Sulaiti announced on Monday.

According to Qatar’s state news agency (QNA), Al Sulaiti issued a circular specifying the working hours, which will officially begin from 9am until 2pm.

The decision is applicable to ministries, government agencies public bodies and institutions.

Employees are also allowed to come in at 10am, depending on whether their work requirements are met and if they complete the required five hours, QNA added.

The announcement comes just a day before the official moon sighting of the fasting month of Ramadan.

Last week, the Qatar Calendar House predicted that the beginning of the holy month this year may fall on Thursday 23 March, based on astronomical calculations.

According to the Islamic Hijri calendar, months begin and end depending on the movement of the moon in its orbit around the earth.