Government extends Eid, Puja holidays in 2025

Twelve general holidays and 14 executive order holidays are announced for the next year

The interim government has extended holidays for Eid and Puja in 2025, announcing a range of public holidays.

The public administration ministry issued a gazette on Monday, detailing 12 days of general holidays and 14 days of executive order holidays for the next year. Among these 26 days, nine will fall on weekends.

The Yunus administration also offers five days of optional holidays for Muslim festivals, nine for Hindu festivals, eight for Christian holidays, seven for Buddhist festivals, and two days for indigenous communities.

Public servants may combine up to three optional holidays with their regular holidays to go to their religious festivals. However, these must be planned and approved in advance.

Earlier on Oct 17, the advisory council approved five days of holiday for Eid-ul-Fitr, six days for Eid-ul-Azha, and two days for Durga Puja. Previously, there were three days of holiday for each Eid and one day for Durga Puja.

According to the gazette, Eid-ul-Fitr will be observed on Mar 31, a Monday, and Eid-ul-Azha on Jun 7, a Saturday.

Moreover, four executive order holidays will be granted before and after Eid-ul-Fitr, from Mar 29-30 and Apr 1-2. Similarly, five executive order holidays will be granted before and after Eid-ul-Azha, from Jun 5-6 and Jun 8-10.

For Durga Puja, there will be a general holiday on Bijoya Dashami on Oct 2, a Thursday, and an executive order holiday on the previous day, Oct 1, a Wednesday.

GENERAL HOLIDAYS

The general holidays in 2025 are:

Feb 21 for International Mother Language Day, Mar 26 for Independence Day, Mar 28 for Jumu'atul Wida, Mar 31 for Eid-ul-Fitr, May 1 for Labour Day, May 21 for Buddha Purnima, Jun 7 for Eid-ul-Azha, Aug 16 for Janmashtami, Sept 5 for Eid-e-Miladunnabi, Oct 2 for Bijoya Dashami, Dec 16 for Victory Day, and Dec 25 for Christmas.

EXECUTIVE ORDER HOLIDAYS

Under executive orders, holidays will include:

Feb 15 for Shab-e-Barat, Mar 28 for Shab-e-Qadr, Mar 29-30 and Apr 1-2 for the extended Eid-ul-Fitr break, Apr 14 for Bengali New Year, Jun 5-6 and Jun 8-10 for the extended Eid-ul-Azha break, Jul 6 for Ashura, and Oct 1 for Maha Nabami (Durga Puja).

OPTIONAL HOLIDAYS

Feb 28 for Shab-e-Meraj, Apr 3 for the third day of Eid-ul-Fitr, Jun 11 for the fourth day of Eid-ul-Azha, Sept 20 for Akheri Chahar Shomba, and Oct 4 for Fateha-i-Yazdaham.

Feb 3 for Saraswati Puja, Feb 26 for Shivaratri, Mar 14 for Doljatra, Mar 27 for Harichand Thakur’s birth anniversary, Sept 21 for Mahalaya, Sept 29-30 for Durga Puja (Saptami and Ashtami), Oct 6 for Lakshmi Puja, and Oct 31 for Shyama Puja.

Jan 1 for New Year, Mar 5 for Ash Wednesday, Apr 17-19 for Holy Thursday to Holy Saturday, Apr 20 for Easter Sunday, and Dec 24 and 26 for Christmas Eve and Boxing Day.

Feb 11 for Maghi Purnima, Apr 13 for Chaitra Sankranti, May 10-12 for Buddha Purnima and its preceding and following days, Jul 9 for Asalha Puja, Sept 6 for Madhu Purnima, and Oct 5 for Prabarana Purnima.

Indigenous employees, from the Chattogram Hill Tracts and elsewhere, will have optional holidays on Apr 12 and 15 for Baisabi and similar local festivals.

Offices and institutions with their own set of rules or essential services as declared by the government will observe holidays as per their regulations in the public interest, according to the gazette.