PM Tarique attends office amid Eid holidays

Prime Minister Tarique Rahman attended his office at the Secretariat on Tuesday to carry out his duties, despite the start of a seven-day public holiday marking Eid-ul-Fitr.

The prime minister arrived at the Secretariat in the morning. Upon his arrival, he was received by Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Gani and Principal Secretary ABM Abdus Sattar, reports media.

Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary, Atikur Rahman Rumon, said that Tarique is maintaining his work schedule despite the start of the festive break.

“The prime minister came to his office at 11am. The Eid holidays have started, but he is continuing his official work,” he added.

The prime minister’s schedule for the day includes a cabinet meeting, following several other meetings held earlier in the morning.

The current seven-day hiatus began on 17 March and is scheduled to continue until 23 March.

While the Ministry of Public Administration initially fixed a five-day holiday from 19 to 23 March, the government declared 18 March a holiday by executive order to facilitate Eid travel. Combined with the Shab-e-Qadr holiday on 17 March, this created a continuous week-long break.

The executive order specifically covered 19 and 20 March before the Eid, as well as 22 and 23 March following the festival.

Before returning to the capital, the premier was in Dinajpur on Monday, where he inaugurated a nationwide canal excavation programme. During the event, he personally initiated the work by cutting soil with a spade at the Sahapara canal in Kaharol upazila.