Five-day holiday likely for Durga Puja

The government has decided to extend the holiday for Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community in Bangladesh.

An initial decision has been made to declare 22 October a holiday through an executive order, Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Saleh Shibli told the media.

Officials concerned said a proposal in this regard will be placed at the next cabinet meeting. If it is approved, a gazette notification will be issued declaring the additional holiday, they said.

Once the notification for the 22 October holiday is issued, the Durga Puja holiday will run from 20 to 24 October.

According to this year’s government holiday calendar, 20 October (Tuesday) will be a holiday through an executive order on the occasion of Navami, while 21 October (Wednesday) will be a public holiday on the occasion of Bijoya Dashami. 

Although offices and courts were scheduled to remain open on 22 October (Thursday), the prime minister has decided to declare that day a holiday through an executive order, according to sources at the Prime Minister’s Office.

This will be followed by the weekly holidays on 23 and 24 October, Friday and Saturday. As a result, government employees will enjoy five consecutive days of holiday from 20 to 24 October.

In addition to the government holidays, two days of optional leave have been provided for Hindu government officials and employees.