The government has declared 18 March a public holiday in addition to the previously announced Eid-ul-Fitr holidays, making it a week-long vacation.

The decision was approved at a cabinet meeting held at the Secretariat today (5 March), presided over by Prime Minister Tarek Rahman, after the proposal was placed before the cabinet.

Earlier, 17 March had already been declared a holiday on the occasion of Shab-e-Qadr. As a result, the total Eid holidays this year will effectively span seven days – from 17 to 23 March.

Offices will reopen on 24 March and 25, followed by the Independence Day holiday on 26 March and the weekly weekend on 27-28 March, giving government workers an additional three consecutive days off after Eid.

Under the current schedule, the government has designated 21 March as the official holiday for Eid-ul-Fitr, following the 30-day Ramadan period. Additionally, four days of executive order holidays have already been declared: 19-20 March and 22-23 March. 

According to the earlier schedule, 21 March – the day of Eid-ul-Fitr – was declared a general holiday. In addition, 19 and 20 March were set as holidays before Eid, while 22 and 23 March were designated as holidays after Eid through executive orders.

With the addition of the 18 March holiday, there will now be four consecutive holidays before Eid, as 17 March is already a holiday for Shab-e-Qadr. Combined with Eid day and the following two days, the total holiday period will stand at seven days.

State Minister for Primary and Mass Education Bobby Hajjaj confirmed the decision to include 18 March as a holiday while speaking to journalists after the cabinet meeting.

Earlier, in a statement released yesterday (4 March), the Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity urged the government to declare March 18 a holiday to ensure a safe and smooth Eid journey

The statement noted that nearly 1.5 million people are expected to leave the capital for their hometowns, but overcrowded transport, limited road and station infrastructure, and weak management make smooth travel difficult. Without a holiday on 18 March, passengers could face overcharging, delays, and severe inconvenience.