5-day leave sought on Eid

Ahead of the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr, the Dhaka Reporters Unity (DRU) has demanded a five-day holiday for newspapers.

In a statement on Sunday , the organisation’s President Abu Saleh Akon and General Secretary Mainul Hasan Sohel expressed this demand.

The statement noted that, subject to moon sighting, Eid-ul-Fitr may be celebrated in the country on 21 March. According to government directives, public servants will receive a continuous seven-day holiday from 17 to 23 March.

The leaders pointed out that while government employees are getting seven days off, newspaper staffs are being granted only three days, which they described as unfair.

They also noted that during Eid, street vendors typically do not sell newspapers.

Therefore, they strongly urged the relevant authorities to close newspapers for five days during the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr.