Durga Puja: Bangladesh declares public holiday on Thursday by executive order

There will be four consecutive days off during the puja this year

The interim government has declared a public holiday on Thursday, Oct 10 by executive order.

The Ministry of Public Administration issued a notice to the effect on Thursday.

Hindu devotees began the Durga Puja traditions on Oct 2 with Mahalaya, conducting a ritual inviting the goddess Durga to descend to Earth. The festivities step up on Wednesday, Oct 9 with Sasthi. Dashami, the day of the goddess’s departure, is marked by the immersion of her idols in water. It will be on Sunday, Oct 13 this year.

According to tradition, Dashami is a public holiday in Bangladesh. This year, the two days ahead of Dashami fall on the weekend of Friday and Saturday. The government has now extended the holiday by declaring Thursday as a public holiday.

This means there are four days off for puja this year.

The notice from the Ministry of Public Administration says that a general holiday has been declared across the country on Thursday, Oct 10 by executive order on the occasion of the upcoming Durga Puja. All public, semi-public, autonomous, semi-autonomous, and private offices are to remain closed during public holidays.