Public holidays
Bangladesh: 18 public holiday dates in 2026 (18 days off) and 18 in 2027 (18 days off), with 251 working days in 2026 and 247 in 2027. National holidays only: regional ones are not included.
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wednesday 4 February 2026 | 2026-W06 | Mid-Sha'ban | Yes |
| Saturday 21 February 2026 | 2026-W08 | Martyrs' Day and International Mother Language Day | Yes |
| Tuesday 17 March 2026 | 2026-W12 | Laylat al-Qadr | Yes |
| Friday 20 March 2026 | 2026-W12 | Jumu'atul-Wida | Yes |
| Saturday 21 March 2026 | 2026-W12 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Sunday 22 March 2026 | 2026-W12 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Monday 23 March 2026 | 2026-W13 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Thursday 26 March 2026 | 2026-W13 | Independence Day | Yes |
| Tuesday 14 April 2026 | 2026-W16 | Bengali New Year's Day | Yes |
| Friday 1 May 2026 | 2026-W18 | May Day | Yes |
| Thursday 28 May 2026 | 2026-W22 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Friday 29 May 2026 | 2026-W22 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Saturday 30 May 2026 | 2026-W22 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Friday 26 June 2026 | 2026-W26 | Ashura | Yes |
| Wednesday 5 August 2026 | 2026-W32 | July Mass Uprising Day | Yes |
| Wednesday 26 August 2026 | 2026-W35 | Prophet's Birthday | Yes |
| Wednesday 16 December 2026 | 2026-W51 | Victory Day | Yes |
| Friday 25 December 2026 | 2026-W52 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Date | ISO week | Holiday | Day off |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sunday 24 January 2027 | 2027-W03 | Mid-Sha'ban | Yes |
| Sunday 21 February 2027 | 2027-W07 | Martyrs' Day and International Mother Language Day | Yes |
| Friday 5 March 2027 | 2027-W09 | Jumu'atul-Wida | Yes |
| Sunday 7 March 2027 | 2027-W09 | Laylat al-Qadr | Yes |
| Wednesday 10 March 2027 | 2027-W10 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Thursday 11 March 2027 | 2027-W10 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Friday 12 March 2027 | 2027-W10 | Eid al-Fitr | Yes |
| Friday 26 March 2027 | 2027-W12 | Independence Day | Yes |
| Wednesday 14 April 2027 | 2027-W15 | Bengali New Year's Day | Yes |
| Saturday 1 May 2027 | 2027-W17 | May Day | Yes |
| Monday 17 May 2027 | 2027-W20 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Tuesday 18 May 2027 | 2027-W20 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Wednesday 19 May 2027 | 2027-W20 | Eid al-Adha | Yes |
| Wednesday 16 June 2027 | 2027-W24 | Ashura | Yes |
| Thursday 5 August 2027 | 2027-W31 | July Mass Uprising Day | Yes |
| Sunday 15 August 2027 | 2027-W32 | Prophet's Birthday | Yes |
| Thursday 16 December 2027 | 2027-W50 | Victory Day | Yes |
| Saturday 25 December 2027 | 2027-W51 | Christmas Day | Yes |
| Holiday | 2026 | 2027 | Shift |
|---|---|---|---|
| Jumu'atul-Wida | Friday 20 March 2026 | Friday 5 March 2027 | −15 days |
| Mid-Sha'ban | Wednesday 4 February 2026 | Sunday 24 January 2027 | −11 days, changes month |
| Prophet's Birthday | Wednesday 26 August 2026 | Sunday 15 August 2027 | −11 days |
| Laylat al-Qadr | Tuesday 17 March 2026 | Sunday 7 March 2027 | −10 days |
| Ashura | Friday 26 June 2026 | Wednesday 16 June 2027 | −10 days |
A shift ignores the year: +19 days means 19 days later in the calendar.
| Month | 2026 | 2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| January | 21 | 20 | −1 |
| February | 19 | 19 | 0 |
| March | 19 | 20 | +1 |
| April | 21 | 20 | −1 |
| May | 20 | 19 | −1 |
| June | 22 | 21 | −1 |
| July | 22 | 21 | −1 |
| August | 20 | 21 | +1 |
| September | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| October | 21 | 21 | 0 |
| November | 22 | 22 | 0 |
| December | 22 | 21 | −1 |
| Q1 | 59 | 59 | 0 |
| Q2 | 63 | 60 | −3 |
| Q3 | 64 | 64 | 0 |
| Q4 | 65 | 64 | −1 |
| Year | 251 | 247 | −4 |
Weekdays by the local weekend (Friday and Saturday), minus the public holidays most people have off.
Shab-e-Barat, on 15 Sha'ban, is a night when Muslims ask forgiveness for their wrongdoings.
At work: Welcome to mention among Muslims. A day off.
21 February is also known as Language Movement Day. It remembers the protests and sacrifices made to protect Bengali as a national language during the Bengali language movement of 1952.
At work: Very welcome to mention with respect. A day off.
The Night of Power, when Muslims believe the Quran was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. It falls on one of the odd-numbered nights in the last ten nights of Ramadan, and the Sunni tradition stresses the 27th night. Muslims spend it in prayer and Quran reading, often in the mosque.
At work: Fine to mention with respect. Colleagues may stay up late and be tired the next day.
The last Friday of Ramadan, one of the most sacred days of the Islamic calendar. Muslims gather in mosques for prayer and reflection and to seek forgiveness and blessings as the holy month closes.
At work: Welcome to mention among Muslims. A day off.
Eid al-Fitr, the "festival of breaking the fast", is the first of the two main festivals in Islam. It falls on the first day of Shawwal, the tenth month of the Islamic calendar, and marks the end of the month-long, dawn-to-dusk fasting of Ramadan. It begins with a communal prayer and is followed by visits to relatives, giving gifts and sharing meals.
At work: Very welcome to mention. Its date follows the lunar calendar and shifts every year, so keep plans flexible. During Ramadan itself, colleagues who fast may prefer meetings earlier in the day and not over lunch.
Independence and National Day marks 26 March 1971, the proclamation of Bangladesh's independence from Pakistan.
At work: Very welcome to mention. A day off.
Pohela Boishakh, on 14 April, is the start of the Bengali calendar year.
At work: Very welcome to mention. A day off.
International Workers' Day, on 1 May, honours workers and the labour movement. The date was chosen to commemorate the 1886 general strike in the United States that culminated in the Haymarket affair, and the day was adopted in support of a "great international demonstration" for the eight-hour day.
At work: Fine to mention the day off. In some countries it has a political side, so keep it about the break.
Eid al-Adha, the "festival of the sacrifice", is the second of the two main festivals in Islam. It falls on the 10th of Dhu al-Hijja, the last month of the Islamic calendar. It honours the willingness of Ibrahim (Abraham) to sacrifice his son at God's command. The Eid prayer is held in the morning, followed by the ritual sacrifice of a livestock animal, and celebrations carry on for the three following days.
At work: Very welcome to mention. As with Eid al-Fitr, the date follows the lunar calendar, so keep plans flexible.
Ashura is a day of commemoration in Islam, on the tenth of Muharram. For Shia Muslims it is a day of mourning, commemorating the death of Husayn, the grandson of the Prophet Muhammad and the third Shia Imam, at the Battle of Karbala in 680 CE. Sunni Muslims also regard the killing of Husayn as a tragic event, and Ashura also marks the parting of the Red Sea by Moses and the salvation of the Israelites. Observances differ between communities.
At work: Solemn, so "Happy" does not fit. Be respectful and keep it neutral.
5 August marks the end of the July Uprising of 2024 in Bangladesh.
At work: Fine to mention with respect. A day off.
Mawlid is an annual festival commemorating the birthday of the Prophet Muhammad, on 12 Rabi' al-awwal, the third month of the Islamic calendar. It was first publicly celebrated by Gökböri, a deputy of Saladin, and the Ottomans declared it an official holiday. Celebrants recite religious poetry in praise of Muhammad.
At work: Respectful to mention. Not every colleague marks it in the same way.
Bijoy Dibosh on 16 December marks 1971, when Pakistani forces in East Pakistan surrendered, ending the nine-month Bangladesh Liberation War and leading to the birth of Bangladesh. India marks the same day as Vijay Diwas.
At work: Very welcome to mention, with respect for those who died in the war. A day off.
Christmas is an annual festival commemorating the birth of Jesus Christ, observed primarily on 25 December. Eastern Christian Churches that follow the older Julian calendar celebrate it on 25 December of that calendar, which currently corresponds to 7 January. It is a public holiday in many countries, and many non-Christians celebrate it culturally too.
At work: Widely welcome to mention. Plan important meetings before the break. If you're unsure whether someone celebrates it, "Happy holidays" is a safe choice.
Open Bangladesh in TimeBento, next to the other places you work with.