Public holidays in Bangladesh
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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
[edit]List
[edit]| Date | Name | Remarks | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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. | [1] |
| 17 March | Birthday of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman | শেখ মুজিবুর রহমানের জন্মদিন | Sheikh Mujibur Rahman' Birthday, founder of Bangladesh and National Children's Day. | [1] |
| 26 March | Independence Day | স্বাধীনতা দিবস | Proclamation of Independence and the start of the Liberation War. | [1] |
| 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] |
| 1 Shawwal | Eid al-Fitr | ঈদুল ফিতর | End of the month of Ramadan (Festival of Fastbreaking). | [1] |
| 1 May | International Workers' Day | মে দিবস | International Workers' Solidarity Day | [1] |
| 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. | [1] |
| 10 Dhu al-Hijjah | Eid al-Adha | ঈদুল আজহা | "Sacrifice Feast", the willingness of Abraham to sacrifice his son Ishmael. | [1] |
| 15 August | National Day of Mourning | জাতীয় শোক দিবস | Assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman | [1] |
| 8 Bhadra | Krishna Janmashtami | জন্মাষ্টমী | The birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu. | [1] |
| 12 Rabi' al-Awwal | Mawlid | ঈদে মিলাদুন্নবী | Birth of Muhammad | [1] |
| 10 Ashvin | Vijayadashami | বিজয়া দশমী | The battle of goddess Durga with the shape-shifting, deceptive and powerful buffalo demon Mahishasura, and her emerging victorious. | [1] |
| 16 December | Victory Day | বিজয় দিবস | Surrender of Pakistan, ending of the Liberation War. | [1] |
| 25 December | Christmas | বড়দিন | Jesus Christ's birthday. | [1] |
Government holidays
[edit]List
[edit]| Date | Name | Remarks | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | Bengali | |||
| 15 Shaban | Mid-Sha'ban | শবে বরাত | Muslims ask for forgiveness for their wrongdoings. | [1] |
| 27 Ramadan | Night of Power | শবে কদর | [1] | |
| 29/30 Ramadan | Yesterday of Eid al-Fitr | চাঁদ রাতের দিন | [1] | |
| 2 Shawwal | Next day of Eid al-Fitr | ঈদুল ফিতরের দ্বিতীয় দিন | [1] | |
| 14 April | Pohela Boishakh | পহেলা বৈশাখ | The start of the Bengali calendar year. | [1] |
| 9 Dhu al-Hijjah | Yesterday of Eid al-Adha | ঈদুল আজহার আগের দিন | [1] | |
| 11 Dhu al-Hijjah | Next day of Eid al-Adha | ঈদুল আজহার দ্বিতীয় দিন | [1] | |
| 10 Muharram | Ashura | আশুরা | Shia: death of Husayn ibn Ali; Sunni: parting of the Red Sea |
[1] |
Optional holidays
[edit]List
[edit]| Date | Name | Remarks | Source | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| English | Bengali | |||
| 1 January | New Year's Day | ইংরেজি নববর্ষ | [1] | |
| 27 Rajab | Lailat al Miraj | শবে মেরাজ | [1] | |
| 5 Magha | Vasant Panchami | সরস্বতী পূজা | [1] | |
| 46 days before Easter Sunday | Ash Wednesday | ভস্ম বুধবার | [1] | |
| First full moon in Magha | Magha Purnima | মাঘী পূর্ণিমা | [1] | |
| First full moon in Phalguna | Holi | দোলযাত্রা | [1] | |
| 3 days before Easter Sunday | Maundy Thursday | পূণ্য বৃহস্পতিবার | [1] | |
| Friday before Easter Sunday | Good Friday | পূণ্য শুক্রবার | [1] | |
| The day before Easter Sunday | Holy Saturday | পূণ্য শনিবার | [1] | |
| March–April | Easter Sunday | পুনরুত্থান পার্বণ | [1] | |
| 13th day of Krishna Paksha in Chaitra | Birthday of Harichand Thakur | হরিচাঁদ ঠাকুরের আবির্ভাব উৎসব | [1] | |
| 3 Shawwal | 3rd day of Eid al-Fitr | ঈদুল ফিতরের তৃতীয় দিন | [1] | |
| 1 Chaitra | Mesha Sankranti | চৈত্র সংক্রান্তি | [1] | |
| 1 Chaitra | Mesha Sankranti | চৈত্র সংক্রান্তি | [1] | |
| 1 Baishakh | Baishabi | বৈসাবি | For employees belonging to minority groups working in Chittagong Hill Tracts and beyond. | [1] |
| 14 Magha | Maha Shivaratri | শিবরাত্রি ব্রত | [1] | |
| 12 Dhu al-Hijjah | 3rd day of Eid al-Adha | ঈদুল আজহার তৃতীয় দিন | [1] | |
| First full moon in Ashada | Ashadi Purnima | আষাঢ়ী পূর্ণিমা | [1] | |
| Last wednesday in Safar | Akhiri Chahar Shambah | আখেরি চাহার সোম্বা | [1] | |
| First full moon in Bhadra | Madhu Purnima | মধু পূর্ণিমা | [1] | |
| 15/16 Bhadra | Mahalaya | মহালয়া | [1] | |
| 8 Ashvin | Durga Ashtami | অষ্টমী | [1] | |
| 9 Ashvin | Navaratri | নবমী | [1] | |
| 10 Ashvin | Vijayadashami | বিজয়া দশমী | [1] | |
| 11 Rabi' al-Thani | Fateha-e-Yazdaham | ফাতেহা-ই-ইয়াজদাহম | [1] | |
| Full moon in Ashvin | Pavarana | প্রবারণা পূর্ণিমা | [1] | |
| 15 Kartika | Lakshmi Puja | লক্ষ্মী পূজা | [1] | |
| 15 Kartika | Kali Puja | কালী পূজা | [1] | |
| 15 Kartika | Kali Puja | কালী পূজা | [1] | |
| 24 December | Yesterday of Christmas | যিশু খ্রিষ্টের জন্মোৎসব | [1] | |
| 26 December | Next day of Christmas | যিশু খ্রিষ্টের জন্মোৎসব | [1] | |
