Changing the weekly holiday schedule
Kutubuddin Ahmed | Saturday, 26 July 2008
THE weekly holiday schedule of two consecutive days, on Fridays and Saturdays, means that businesses in Bangladesh remain cut off from the rest of the world for three consecutive days up to Sundays. It means business activities or transactions for Bangladeshi businesses come to a halt for three consecutive days or almost half of a week. It seriously undermines the progress or productivity of businesses in Bangladesh. For three days, at a stretch, business operators in the country have to go without banking, insurance, customs and other vital supportive services.
Understandably, their concern on these scores needs to be addressed by the government.
The government needs to respond promptly and positively to the suggestions repeatedly made by the business community in this regard. No government loses credibility but only earns it by responding timely to the legitimate grievances of the productive sectors of the economy. In this case, what the businessmen suggested represents not only their own narrow interests but the well-being of the national economy as well. Therefore, it deserves a swift and befitting response from the government.
Many important Islamic countries including Malaysia and Pakistan maintain only one day weekly holiday on Sundays for compelling economic reasons.
Therefore, Bangladesh would not be out of step with the Islamic world either by declaring only Sunday as the weekly holiday. The holy Koran also urges Muslims to spread out into the world and work at their different occupations as soon as the prayers are over.
Therefore, there would be nothing inconsistent with Islam in declaring Sunday as the weekly day-off.
Besides, one day holiday is required to raise our gross domestic product (GDP). The more we work, the more we will raise our GDP. GDP cannot rise from working less and less or keeping two days as weekly holidays.
Understandably, their concern on these scores needs to be addressed by the government.
The government needs to respond promptly and positively to the suggestions repeatedly made by the business community in this regard. No government loses credibility but only earns it by responding timely to the legitimate grievances of the productive sectors of the economy. In this case, what the businessmen suggested represents not only their own narrow interests but the well-being of the national economy as well. Therefore, it deserves a swift and befitting response from the government.
Many important Islamic countries including Malaysia and Pakistan maintain only one day weekly holiday on Sundays for compelling economic reasons.
Therefore, Bangladesh would not be out of step with the Islamic world either by declaring only Sunday as the weekly holiday. The holy Koran also urges Muslims to spread out into the world and work at their different occupations as soon as the prayers are over.
Therefore, there would be nothing inconsistent with Islam in declaring Sunday as the weekly day-off.
Besides, one day holiday is required to raise our gross domestic product (GDP). The more we work, the more we will raise our GDP. GDP cannot rise from working less and less or keeping two days as weekly holidays.