Holiday mood pervades Secretariat as offices reopen after Eid break

Many officials returning from the holiday were seen greeting colleagues and arriving with travel bags

A lingering festive atmosphere has marked the reopening of government offices at the Secretariat after a week-long break for Eid-ul-Fitr.

Officials and employees began arriving from around 8:30am on Tuesday, while Prime Minister Tarique Rahman reached the Secretariat at 9am.

Many returning staff were seen exchanging greetings and embracing colleagues, while some who had travelled back directly from their villages arrived with travel bags in hand.

With Independence Day falling on the last day of the week, many had extended their holidays by taking leave on the preceding two days, meaning the usual pace of work had yet to fully return.

The Cabinet Division said IMF Asia and Pacific Department Director Krishna Srinivasan paid a courtesy call on the prime minister in the morning.

After the meeting, Finance Minister Amir Khosru Mahmud Chowdhury and Finance Secretary Khairuzzaman Mozumder were seen leaving with the IMF delegation.

The prime minister is also scheduled to attend a meeting later in the day on the country’s economic situation and related challenges.

Before Eid, the last working day had been Mar 16. This year, the government extended the Eid-ul-Fitr holiday by one day to make it seven days.

As there had been a single working day between the Shab-e-Qadr holiday and the Eid break, that day was also declared a holiday by executive order.