Public holidays in Bangladesh

Bangladesh has numerous public holidays, including national memorial, religious and secular holidays of Bengali origin. The Bengali traditional calendar, known as Banggabda is the national and official calendar in Bangladesh. The holidays are celebrated according to Bengali, Islamic or Gregorian calendars for religious and civil purposes, respectively. Religious festivals like Eid are celebrated according to the Islamic calendar whereas other national holidays are celebrated according to the Bengali and Gregorian calendar. While the Islamic calendar is based on the movement of the moon, it loses synchronization with the seasons, through seasonal drift. Therefore, some public holidays are subject to change every year based on the lunar calendar.

There are fifteen public holidays in Bangladesh. Muslims and non-Muslims have four religious holidays each in addition to the secular seven national holidays. For the Muslims, four major Islamic holidays: Muharram, Mawlid, Eid ul-Fitr and Eid ul-Adha are observed. For the Hindus: Krishna Janmashtami and Durga Puja are celebrated. As for the Christians and Buddhists: Christmas and Vesak (one day each) are celebrated.

National holidays

Gregorian date Bengali Date Bengali name English name Commemorates
21 February 9 Falgun শহীদ দিবস (Shôhid Dibôs) Language Martyrs' Day
International Mother Language Day		 Protests and sacrifices to protect Bengali as a national language during Bengali Language Movement of 1952.
17 March 3 Choitro মুজিব জয়ন্তী (Mujib jaẏantī) Mujib's birthday & Children's Day Sheikh Mujibur Rahman' Birthday, founder of Bangladesh and National Children's Day.
26 March 12 Choitro স্বাধীনতা দিবস (Shadhinôta Dibôs) Independence Day Proclamation of Independence and the start of the Liberation War.
14 April 1 Boishakh পহেলা বৈশাখ (Pôhela Bôishakh) Bengali New Year's Day The start of the Bengali calendar year.
1 May 18 Boishakh মে দিবস (Me Dibôs) May Day International Workers' Solidarity Day
15 August 31 Srabon জাতীয় শোক দিবস (Jatiyô shok dibôs) National Mourning Day Assassination of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman
16 December 2 Poush বিজয় দিবস (Bijôy Dibôs) Victory Day Surrender of Pakistan, ending of the Liberation War.

Religious holidays

Islamic holidays

Hijri date Bengali name English name Commemorates
10 Muharram আশুরা (Ashura) Ashura Death of the grandson of Muhammad
12 Rabi' al-awwal ঈদে মিলাদুন্নবী (Īdē milādunnabī) Eid-e-Miladun-Nabi Birth of the Prophet Muhammad
1-3 Shawal ঈদুল ফিতর (Īdul phitar) Eid ul-Fitr End of the month of Ramadan. (Festival of Fastbreaking)
10-12 Dhu al-Hijjah ঈদুল আযহা (Īdul ājahā) Eid ul-Adha "Sacrifice Feast", the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son.

Hindu holidays

Bengali Date Gregorian date Bengali name English name Commemorates
X Bhadro X August জন্মাষ্টমী (Jônmashṭômi) Krishna Janmashtami The birth of Krishna, the eighth avatar of Vishnu.
X Ashwin or X Kartiko X September or X October দুর্গা পূজা (Durga Puja) Durga Puja The battle of goddess Durga with the shape-shifting, deceptive and powerful buffalo demon Mahishasura, and her emerging victorious.

Christian holidays

Bengali Date Gregorian date Bengali name English name Commemorates
11 Poush 25 December বড়দিন (Bôṛôdin) Christmas Day Jesus Christ's birthday.
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Buddhist holidays

Bengali Date Gregorian date Bengali name English name Commemorates
X Boishakh or X Joishtho X May or X June বুদ্ধ পূর্ণিমা (Buddhô Purnima) Buddha's Birthday The birth of the Prince Siddhartha Gautama, later the Gautama Buddha and founder of Buddhism.

Partial holidays or national days

Date Name Commemorates
25 March Genocide Remembrance Day The Bengali Genocide of 1971.[1][2][3]
21 November Armed Forces Day[4] The day in 1971, when the members of Army, Navy and Air force of the Bangladesh liberation war forces were fully operational and launched a coordinated offensive against the Pakistani Army.[5]
14 December Martyred Intellectuals Day[6] 1971 killing of Bengali intellectuals by Pakistani forces and their collaborators during the 1971 Liberation War, particularly on 25 March and 14 December 1971.[7][8]

Festivals in Bangladesh

References

  1. ↑ "PM slams Pakistan for propaganda about '71 genocide". The Daily Star. February 20, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
  2. ↑ "Declare March 25 as Genocide Day". The Daily Sun. February 17, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
  3. ↑ "Bangladesh declares March 25 as Genocide Day". NTV. March 11, 2017. Retrieved July 6, 2017.
  4. ↑ "Armed Forces Day being marked". www.dhakatribune.com. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
  5. ↑ "Govt will continue efforts to modernise armed forces: PM". Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha. 20 November 2002. Archived from the original on 28 September 2007.
  6. ↑ "Martyred Intellectuals Day observed in Bangladesh". dna. Retrieved 2016-03-19.
  7. ↑ Rahman, Syedur; Craig Baxter (2002). Historical Dictionary of Bangladesh. Scarecrow Press. p. 196. ISBN 978-8170945888.
  8. ↑ Muazzam Hussain Khan (2012), "Killing of Intellectuals", in Sirajul Islam and Ahmed A. Jamal, Banglapedia: National Encyclopedia of Bangladesh (Second ed.), Asiatic Society of Bangladesh
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