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Public holidays in Bangladesh

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bangladesh has numerous public holidays, including national memorial, religious and secular holidays of Bengali origin. The Bengali traditional calendar, known as Baṅgābda is the national and official calendar in Bangladesh. The holidays are celebrated according to Bengali, Islamic or Gregorian calendars for religious and civil purposes, respectively. Religious festivals like Eid are celebrated according to the Islamic calendar, whereas other national holidays are celebrated according to the Bengali and Gregorian calendar. While, the Islamic calendar is based on the movement of the moon, it loses synchronization with the seasons, through seasonal drift. Therefore, some public holidays are subject to change every year based on the lunar calendar.

There are fifteen public holidays in Bangladesh. Muslims and non-Muslims have four religious holidays each in addition to the seven secular national holidays. For the Muslims, nine major Islamic holidays: Ashura, Mawlid, Isra' and Mi'raj, Shab-e-Barat, first day of Ramadan, Revelation of the Quran, Laylat al-Qadr, Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha are observed. For the Hindus: Holi, Krishna Janmashtami, Durga Puja, Diwali and Raksha Bandhan are celebrated. As for the Christians: New Year, Good Friday, Easter Saturday, Easter Sunday, Halloween, Christmas Eve, Christmas, Boxing Day, St. Patrick's Day and New Year's Eve are celebrated. Buddhists: Vesak and Chinese New Year are celebrated.

General holidays

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  National
  Religious
  International

List

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Date Name Remarks
English Bengali
21 February Language Movement Day শহীদ দিবস Protests and sacrifices to protect Bengali as a national language during Bengali Language Movement of 1952.
26 March Independence Day স্বাধীনতা দিবস Proclamation of Independence and the start of the Liberation War.
Last friday of Ramadan Jumu'atul-Wida জুমাতুল বিদা The day is observed in Bangladesh, marks one of the most sacred days in the Islamic calendar, signifying the last Friday of Ramadan. It is a day of profound prayer and reflection, where Muslims across the nation gather in mosques, seeking forgiveness and blessings in the closing moments of this holy month.
1 Shawwal Eid al-Fitr ঈদুল ফিতর End of the month of Ramadan (Festival of Fastbreaking).
1 May International Workers' Day মে দিবস International Workers' Solidarity Day
1st full moon of Baishakh Buddha's Birthday বুদ্ধ পূর্ণিমা The birth of the Prince Siddhartha Gautama, later the Gautama Buddha and founder of Buddhism.
10 Dhu al-Hijjah Eid al-Adha ঈদুল আজহা "Sacrifice Feast", the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son Ishmael.
8 Bhadra Krishna Janmashtami জন্মাষ্টমী The birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu.
12 Rabi' al-Awwal Mawlid ঈদে মিলাদুন্নবী Birth of Muhammad
10 Ashvin Vijayadashami বিজয়া দশমী The battle of goddess Durga with the shape-shifting, deceptive and powerful buffalo demon Mahishasura, and her emerging victorious.
16 December Victory Day বিজয় দিবস Surrender of Pakistan, ending of the Liberation War.
25 December Christmas Day বড়দিন Jesus Christ's birthday.

Government holidays

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  National
  Religious
  International

List

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Date Name Remarks
English Bengali
15 Shaban Mid-Sha'ban শবে বরাত Muslims ask for forgiveness for their wrongdoings.
27 Ramadan Night of Power শবে কদর
29/30 Ramadan Yesterday of Eid al-Fitr চাঁদ রাতের দিন
2 Shawwal Next day of Eid al-Fitr ঈদুল ফিতরের দ্বিতীয় দিন
14 April Pohela Boishakh পহেলা বৈশাখ The start of the Bengali calendar year.
9 Dhu al-Hijjah Yesterday of Eid al-Adha ঈদুল আজহার আগের দিন
11 Dhu al-Hijjah Next day of Eid al-Adha ঈদুল আজহার দ্বিতীয় দিন
10 Muharram Ashura আশুরা Shia: death of Husayn ibn Ali;
Sunni: parting of the Red Sea

Optional holidays

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  Buddhist
  Christian
  Hindu
  Islamic

List

[edit]
Date Name Remarks
English Bengali
1 January New Year's Day ইংরেজি নববর্ষ
27 Rajab Lailat al Miraj শবে মেরাজ
5 Magha Vasant Panchami সরস্বতী পূজা
46 days before Easter Sunday Ash Wednesday ভস্ম বুধবার
First full moon in Magha Magha Purnima মাঘী পূর্ণিমা
First full moon in Phalguna Holi দোলযাত্রা
3 days before Easter Sunday Maundy Thursday পূণ্য বৃহস্পতিবার
Friday before Easter Sunday Good Friday পূণ্য শুক্রবার
The day before Easter Sunday Holy Saturday পূণ্য শনিবার
March–April Easter Sunday পুনরুত্থান পার্বণ
13th day of Krishna Paksha in Chaitra Birthday of Harichand Thakur হরিচাঁদ ঠাকুরের আবির্ভাব উৎসব
3 Shawwal 3rd day of Eid al-Fitr ঈদুল ফিতরের তৃতীয় দিন
1 Chaitra Mesha Sankranti চৈত্র সংক্রান্তি
1 Baishakh Baishabi বৈসাবি For employees belonging to minority groups working in Chittagong Hill Tracts and beyond.
14 Magha Maha Shivaratri শিবরাত্রি ব্রত
12 Dhu al-Hijjah 3rd day of Eid al-Adha ঈদুল আজহার তৃতীয় দিন
First full moon in Ashada Ashadi Purnima আষাঢ়ী পূর্ণিমা
Last wednesday in Safar Akhiri Chahar Shambah আখেরি চাহার সোম্বা
First full moon in Bhadra Madhu Purnima মধু পূর্ণিমা
15/16 Bhadra Mahalaya মহালয়া
8 Ashvin Durga Ashtami অষ্টমী
9 Ashvin Navaratri নবমী
10 Ashvin Vijayadashami বিজয়া দশমী
11 Rabi' al-Thani Fateha-e-Yazdaham ফাতেহা-ই-ইয়াজদাহম
Full moon in Ashvin Pavarana প্রবারণা পূর্ণিমা
15 Kartika Lakshmi Puja লক্ষ্মী পূজা
15 Kartika Kali Puja কালী পূজা
15 Kartika Kali Puja কালী পূজা
24 December Yesterday of Christmas যিশু খ্রিষ্টের জন্মোৎসব
26 December Next day of Christmas যিশু খ্রিষ্টের জন্মোৎসব

Former holidays

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Date Name Remarks Source
English Bengali
17 March Birthday of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman শেখ মুজিবুর রহমানের জন্মদিন Sheikh Mujibur Rahman' Birthday, founder of Bangladesh and National Children's Day. [1][2][3]
15 August National Mourning Day জাতীয় শোক দিবস Assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman [4][5][1]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b "Govt cancels eight national days, including Mar 7, Aug 15". bdnews24.com. October 16, 2024.
  2. ^ "৮ জাতীয় দিবস বাতিল করে আদেশ জারি". Kaler Kantho (in Bengali). October 16, 2024.
  3. ^ "৭ মার্চসহ আটটি জাতীয় দিবস বাতিল করে আদেশ জারি". Prothom Alo (in Bengali). October 16, 2024.
  4. ^ "No public holiday on August 15 from now". Dhaka Tribune. August 13, 2024.
  5. ^ প্রতিবেদক, নিজস্ব (August 13, 2024). "১৫ আগস্টের ছুটি বাতিল". Bangladesh Pratidin (in Bengali). Retrieved August 25, 2024.
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  1. বাংলাদেশ ২০২৫ সালের সরকারি ছুটির ক্যালেন্ডার এবং তালিকা
  2. Bangladesh Public Holidays 2025 Calendar