5-day puja holiday on cards

The government may declare 22 October a public holiday for Durga Puja, potentially extending the festival break to five consecutive days, including the Friday-Saturday weekend.

According to the government’s 2026 holiday calendar, 20 October has already been declared an executive-order holiday for Nabami, while 21 October is a general holiday for Dashami.

At present, 22 October, which falls on a Thursday, remains a working day. It is followed by the regular Friday and Saturday weekly holidays.

If the government approves 22 October as an additional holiday, people will get five consecutive days off during Durga Puja.

A Public Administration Ministry official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said discussions were under way over the proposed holiday.

The ministry is expected to submit a formal proposal for declaring 22 October a holiday through an executive order. The holiday would take effect if approved by the Cabinet.

Bijon Kanti Sarker, special assistant to the prime minister on Hindu, Buddhist, Christian and ethnic minority affairs, also said 22 October could be declared a holiday by executive order.

He said the additional holiday, combined with the Friday-Saturday weekend, would create a five-day Durga Puja vacation.