Durga Puja 2026: The government is extending the official holiday for the upcoming Sharadiya Durga Puja. According to the official holiday list, Tuesday, October 20, will be a holiday for Navami by executive order
The government has increased the grant amount for the Sharadiya Durga Puja and Buddhist religious festivals. The Hindu Religious Welfare Trust initially asked for a four crore taka grant for Durga Puja. The Prime Minister used special discretion and increased this allocation to five crore taka. Similarly, the Buddhist Religious Welfare Trust requested two crore taka for the Kathin Chibar Dan ceremony, but the government allocated three crore taka.
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Official Holiday
The official holiday for the Sharadiya Durga Puja is getting an extension this time. The government holiday list shows that Tuesday, October 20, will be an executive holiday for Navami. Wednesday, October 21, will be a general holiday for Vijaya Dashami.
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Executive Holiday
Offices and courts were originally supposed to stay open on Thursday, October 22. However, the Prime Minister decided to declare an executive holiday on that day as well. Friday and Saturday, October 23 and 24, are regular weekly days off. As a result, government employees will enjoy a continuous five-day break from October 20 to October 24.
Banks and financial institutions usually remain closed during government holidays. However, specific branches or special services might stay open. ATMs, card services, and online digital platforms will continue to operate normally.
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Essential Workers
Essential workers will still report to duty during the holidays. Staff members connected to emergency services like hospitals, police, fire brigade, electricity, gas, and water supply must carry out their responsibilities on these off days.
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Hindu Festival Holidays
The continuous five-day holiday gives the Hindu community a better chance to celebrate Durga Puja properly. Bijon Kanti Sarker, the special assistant to Prime Minister Tarique Rahman for Hindu, Buddhist, Christian, and ethnic minority affairs, called this initiative by the Prime Minister a unique example.
