The government has approved a seven-day holiday for Eid-ul-Fitr from March 17 to March 23, after declaring March 18 a public holiday in addition to the previously announced Eid break.
The decision was approved at a cabinet meeting at the Secretariat on Thursday, chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.
Speaking to reporters after the cabinet meeting, State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobi Hajjaj confirmed the decision.
March 17 is already a public holiday for Shab-e-Qadr. With March 18 now added, the Eid holiday period will effectively run from March 17 to March 23, totaling seven days.
Subject to moon sighting, Eid-ul-Fitr is expected to to be celebrated on March 21. Based on this tentative date, the Ministry of Public Administration had earlier fixed five days of Eid holidays from March 19 to March 23.
Under that schedule, March 21 (Eid day) is a general holiday, while March 19–20 (before Eid) and March 22–23 (after Eid) were set as holidays by executive order.