2020 Holidays - Bangladesh

Bangladesh Public Holiday Observance Rules

1. When a Public Holiday Falls on a Weekend

- Bangladesh's official weekend is Friday and Saturday.

- If a public holiday falls on a Friday or Saturday, it remains on that day, and no substitute holiday is given.

- However, some employers may grant an extra day off at their discretion.

2. When a Public Holiday Falls on a Friday

- Since Friday is a weekly holiday, public holidays falling on Friday do not get a replacement day.

- Employees who normally do not work on Fridays do not get an extra day off.

3. When a Public Holiday Falls on a Saturday

- There is no automatic replacement holiday if a public holiday falls on a Saturday.

- Government offices and many businesses already have Saturday as a non-working day, so no additional day off is granted.

4. Executive Order Holidays

- In addition to officially recognized public holidays, the Bangladeshi government may declare "Executive Order" holidays on a case-by-case basis.

- These holidays are often announced before major festivals (e.g., Eid, Durga Puja) or to create long weekends.

- Executive Order holidays usually apply to government offices and institutions, while private-sector businesses may or may not observe them.

- The government often adjusts working days before or after an Executive Order holiday by declaring a Saturday or another day as a compensatory working day.

5. Bridge Holidays (Long Weekends)

- Bangladesh does not have an official system of bridge holidays, but the government sometimes declares Executive Order holidays to extend weekends.

- If a holiday falls on a Tuesday or Thursday, the government may announce an additional holiday on Monday or Sunday, creating a four-day weekend.

- Private-sector businesses may or may not follow these additional holidays.

6. Special Cases for Public Holidays

- Eid al-Fitr & Eid al-Adha: The government declares several days off, typically 3-5 days, depending on the lunar calendar and whether the holiday falls on a weekend.

- Independence Day (March 26th) and Victory Day (December 16th): These holidays remain fixed, even if they fall on a weekend.

- Bengali New Year (April 14th): A significant national holiday, widely observed but not replaced if it falls on a weekend.

- May Day (May 1st): If it falls on a weekend, there is no replacement holiday.

- Christmas Day (December 25th): Observed as a public holiday, primarily for the Christian community, with no replacement if it falls on a weekend.

7. Additional Notes

- The Bangladeshi government announces official public holidays annually, including possible adjustments to extend long breaks.

- Executive Order holidays are declared separately and may vary each year.

- Private-sector observance varies, but most businesses follow the government's public holiday calendar.

- Employees working on a public holiday are entitled to double pay or a compensatory rest day, based on labor laws.

- Bangladesh follows both the Gregorian and Islamic lunar calendars, meaning Islamic holidays shift each year.