The Government of Bangladesh has released the official list of public holidays for 2026. The announcement covers all government and semi-government offices, autonomous and semi-autonomous organizations. The notification was issued on 9 November 2025 by the Ministry of Public Administration.
General Holidays
For 2026, a total of 14 general holidays have been declared. Key holidays include:
- Shaheed Day and International Mother Language Day: Saturday, 21 February
- Independence and National Day: Thursday, 26 March
- May Day: Friday, 1 May
- Victory Day: Wednesday, 16 December
- Christmas Day: Friday, 25 December
- Eid-ul-Fitr: Saturday, 21 March
- Eid-ul-Azha: Thursday, 28 May
- Durga Puja (Vijaya Dashami): Wednesday, 21 October
For the hill districts of Rangamati, Khagrachhari, and Bandarban, Chaitra Sankranti will be observed on Monday, 13 April.
Executive Order Holidays
There will also be 14 executive order holidays, including:
- Bengali New Year: Tuesday, 14 April
- Shab-e-Barat: Wednesday, 4 February
- Shab-e-Qadr: Tuesday, 17 March
- Extended Eid-ul-Fitr holidays: Thursday, 19 March to Monday, 23 March (4 days)
- Extended Eid-ul-Azha holidays: Tuesday, 26 May to Sunday, 31 May (5 days)
- Ashura: Friday, 26 June
- Durga Puja (Navami): Tuesday, 20 October
Some holidays, particularly Islamic dates, are dependent on the lunar calendar and may vary according to moon sighting.
Optional Religious Holidays
Employees are allowed up to three optional holidays per year based on their religion, with prior approval from authorities. These optional holidays can be combined with general, executive, or weekly holidays.
- Muslim: 5 days (including Shab-e-Miraj and post-Eid days)
- Hindu: 9 days (including Saraswati Puja, Doljatra, and Durga Puja)
- Christian: 8 days (including English New Year, Good Friday, Easter Sunday, and surrounding Christmas days)
- Buddhist: 7 days (including Maghi Purnima, Chaitra Sankranti outside hill districts, and Buddha Purnima)
- Ethnic minorities in Chittagong Hill Tracts and other areas: 2 days for local festivals such as Vaisabi
The notification was signed by Assistant Secretary A.B.M. Abu Bakar Siddique and issued under the order of the President of Bangladesh.
2026 Public Holidays Table
| Holiday Type | Festival / Occasion | Date(s) | Day |
|---|---|---|---|
| General Holiday | Shaheed Day & International Mother Language Day | 21 Feb | Saturday |
| General Holiday | Independence & National Day | 26 Mar | Thursday |
| General Holiday | May Day | 1 May | Friday |
| General Holiday | Victory Day | 16 Dec | Wednesday |
| General Holiday | Christmas Day | 25 Dec | Friday |
| General Holiday | Eid-ul-Fitr | 21 Mar | Saturday |
| General Holiday | Eid-ul-Azha | 28 May | Thursday |
| General Holiday | Durga Puja (Vijaya Dashami) | 21 Oct | Wednesday |
| Hill District Special | Chaitra Sankranti (Rangamati, Khagrachhari, Bandarban) | 13 Apr | Monday |
| Executive Order | Bengali New Year | 14 Apr | Tuesday |
| Executive Order | Shab-e-Barat | 4 Feb | Wednesday |
| Executive Order | Shab-e-Qadr | 17 Mar | Tuesday |
| Executive Order | Extended Eid-ul-Fitr | 19–23 Mar | Thu–Mon |
| Executive Order | Extended Eid-ul-Azha | 26–31 May | Tue–Sun |
| Executive Order | Ashura | 26 Jun | Friday |
| Executive Order | Durga Puja (Navami) | 20 Oct | Tuesday |
