Bangladesh Approves Five-Day Durga Puja Holiday and New National Day
Millions of people in Bangladesh will enjoy a longer holiday for Sharadiya Durga Puja this year. The government has approved a five-day break. This holiday will run from October 20 to October 24.
Prime Minister Tarique Rahman chaired a cabinet meeting in Dhaka on Monday. During this meeting, the decision was made. The Cabinet Division later announced these approvals.
Tuesday, October 20, was already a holiday for Navami. Wednesday, October 21, is a public holiday for Bijoya Dashami. The cabinet has now also made Thursday, October 22, a holiday by executive order.
This new decision creates a three-day holiday from October 20 to October 22. Friday, October 23, and Saturday, October 24, are already weekly holidays. So, people will get five consecutive days off.
To make up for this extra holiday, government offices will remain open on Saturday, October 17. This day will be a regular working day. The Ministry of Public Administration will soon publish an official notice.
The holiday applies to many offices. These include government, semi-government, and private organizations. However, essential services will continue to operate.
These essential services include electricity, water, and gas. Fire services, port operations, and sanitation will also remain open. Telephone, internet, and postal services are also exempt. Hospitals and medical staff will work as usual.
The Bangladesh Bank will issue instructions for banks. The Supreme Court will give directions for court proceedings. These details will be in the upcoming government notification.
The cabinet meeting also made another important decision. November 7 will now be a public holiday every year. This day will be called “National Revolution and Solidarity Day.” The Cabinet Division confirmed this new annual observance. It will be a Category A day.
