Govt declares August 5 public holiday

Staff Reporter :

August 5 will be observed as a public holiday to mark Student-People’s Uprising Day, Cultural Affairs Adviser Mostofa Sarwar Farooki announced on Thursday.

Speaking at a press conference at the Foreign Service Academy in Dhaka, Farooki said the decision to officially designate August 5 as a national day commemorating the student-public movement will be confirmed at the upcoming Advisory Council meeting on Sunday.

He added that programmes recognising the July uprising will begin on July 1 and continue until August 5. A detailed schedule of the month-long events is expected to be unveiled next  Monday, with the main phase starting on July 14.

“Just as the country came together during the movement, these programmes will be carried out with the involvement of all,” Farooki told reporters.

In addition, Farooki noted ongoing discussions to grant autonomy to state-run Radio Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television (BTV), with Education Adviser Dr CR Abrar currently overseeing the process.

Also present at the conference were Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam, Deputy Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad Majumder, and Senior Assistant Press Secretary Ahmmad Foyez.