Gazette issued declaring 3-day holiday for Durga Puja

The government has declared a three-day holiday for Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community, from 20 to 22 October.

The Ministry of Public Administration issued a gazette in this regard today (7 October).

According to the gazette notification, 20 October will be a holiday on the occasion of Mahanabami under an executive order, while 21 October, the day of Bijoya Dashami, will be a general holiday. 22 October, which was previously a working day, has also been declared a holiday under an executive order.

As 23 and 24 October are Friday and Saturday, the weekly holidays, people will be able to enjoy five consecutive days off from 20 to 24 October.

However, government, semi-government, autonomous, semi-autonomous and private offices will remain open on Saturday, 17 October, to compensate for the additional holiday.

The decision to reschedule the holidays was approved at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Secretariat on Monday (5 October).

The notification said emergency services, including electricity, water, gas and other fuel supplies, fire service, port operations, sanitation, telephone and internet services, postal services and related transport services will remain outside the purview of the holiday.

Hospitals, emergency medical services and personnel involved in such services will also continue their duties.

Doctors, medical staff and vehicles transporting medicines and medical equipment will likewise remain outside the holiday coverage.

Offices involved in emergency work will also remain open.

Bangladesh Bank will issue necessary instructions to keep banking activities operational during the holiday, while the Supreme Court will issue directives regarding court proceedings.

For private-sector industries, factories and establishments, the Ministry of Labour and Employment will issue necessary instructions regarding the general holiday in accordance with the Bangladesh Labour Act, 2006.