Five-day holiday for Durga Puja

The government is set to declare October 22 a holiday by executive order, paving the way for a five-day holiday for Durga Puja, the biggest religious festival of the Hindu community.

Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and Ethnic Affairs Bijon Kanti Sarkar disclosed the plan on Tuesday.

The five-day holiday will begin on October 20, with Maha Nabami on that day and Bijoya Dashami on October 21. October 22 will also be a holiday by executive order, followed by the weekly holidays on Friday and Saturday.

As a result, people across the country will get five consecutive days off during the festival. A proposal in this regard will be placed before the Cabinet meeting for approval, according to sources.

Meanwhile, the government has instructed local administrations and law enforcement agencies to strengthen security and ensure proper management of Durga Puja celebrations and the immersion of idols.

The instructions came at an inter-ministerial meeting held at the Ministry of Religious Affairs on Tuesday to ensure peaceful, safe and festive celebrations of Sharadiya Durga Puja 2026. State Minister for Religious Affairs Mohammad Shamim Kaisar chaired the meeting.

The meeting called for coordinated measures to maintain security and communal harmony during the festival. Authorities were also instructed to take steps to increase the number of Durga Puja mandaps across the country and remain vigilant during the celebrations and idol immersion.

Shamim Kaisar also urged the authorities to ensure that government grants allocated through the Prime Minister's Office reach all puja mandaps properly through the Puja Welfare Trust.