Workers in the ready-made garment (RMG) sector will be entitled to a three-day government-sanctioned holiday for Eid-ul-Fitr.
However, additional leave of five to seven days may be granted upon mutual agreement between workers and factory owners, to be adjusted against their weekly or annual leave.
According to a notice signed by the secretary-general of the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA), the government has declared 3 April as a public holiday by executive order.
However, this does not apply to private industries or factories, which must adhere to labour laws when determining festival leave, as already communicated by the BGMEA.
In this context, factory management and worker representatives will decide on the exact dates for the extended Eid leave in accordance with labour regulations.
Speaking on the matter, Mohammad Hatem, president of the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA), stated that while the official leave remains three days, many workers are extending their break by five to seven days.
Some have already compensated for the additional leave by working on weekly holidays in advance, while others plan to make up for the days later. As a result, many workers will be taking a total of eight to ten days off.
However, he noted that the leave period is subject to discussions between workers and factory owners, as some industries are under production pressure and cannot afford to grant extended holidays.
According to the digital mapping platform Mapped in Bangladesh (MIB), the country has 3,555 export-oriented garment factories employing approximately 3.05 million workers.
Eid-ul-Fitr is expected to be celebrated on 31 March, subject to the sighting of the moon.
Based on this tentative date, the Ministry of Public Administration has scheduled a five-day Eid holiday from 29 March to 2 April.
Additionally, the government’s declaration of 3 April as a public holiday will grant public sector employees an extended nine-day break.
