Most public holidays in 2015 overlap with weekend closures

General holidays next year will practically be squeezed into six days, out of total 15, for their overlapping with weekend closures.          
In another interesting zodiacal feature in the upcoming year, Eid-e-Miladunnabi will fall twice in 2015.      
Such features of the 2015 calendar are evident from the list of government holidays the cabinet approved Monday.
"There would be 15 general holidays or public holidays in 2015 calendar year. The 15 general holidays include nine weekly holidays," Cabinet Secretary Muhammad Musharraf Hossain Bhuiyan told the media after the regular cabinet meeting.
Moreover, out of eight holidays by executive order of the government, there would be 3 weekends, he said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting at the cabinet division of Bangladesh Secretariat.
The cabinet secretary said out of the 15 holidays, nine will fall on Fridays and Saturdays. So, the net holidays will be only six days.
On the other hand, there will be eight days of holiday through executive orders. And three will overlap with weekly holidays.
He said Eid-e-Miladunnabi would be observed twice in the next year because of the difference between the Islamic and Christian calendars.  
"Eid-e-Miladunnabi would be observed in calendar year 2015 twice: the first likely on 4th January 2015 and the second on 24th December of the same year," the cabinet secretary said.
Explaining the twists, he said the Christian year consists of 365 days while Hizri year 354 days. So, in the next year (2015), there will be Eid-e-Miladunnabi twice.
The cabinet was also apprised of the Prime Minister's participation in the 10th Asia- Europe Meeting on 16-17 October last in Milan, Italy.  
Also, it was informed about the participation of the State Minister for Finance in Asia-Pacific Outreach meeting on Sustainable Development Financing 10-11 June last in Jakarta, Indonesia, and Food Minister's visit to Russia 14-18 October for the import of wheat under government-to-government (G to G) arrangement.

talhabinhabib@yahoo.com