The interim government has decided to abolish eight national days, including the 15 August and the 7 March.
The decision was made during a meeting of the Advisory Council in September, with government sources confirming the move as a response to the current political landscape.
On 7 October, a letter signed by the then-Cabinet Secretary Mahbub Hossain, was circulated, instructing the relevant departments to take necessary steps regarding the cancellation.
According to sources from the Office of the Chief Advisor, five of the abolished national days are connected to the birth or death anniversaries of members of Sheikh Hasina's family. These include 17 March, marking the birth anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and National Children’s Day, 5 August, the birth anniversary of Sheikh Hasina’s brother, Shaheed Captain Sheikh Kamal, 8 August, the birth anniversary of her mother, Begum Fazilatunnesa Mujib, 15 August, Bangabandhu’s death anniversary and National Mourning Day, and 18 October, Sheikh Hasina’s younger brother Sheikh Russell Day.
Additionally, the abolition list includes the 7 March, 4 November as National Constitution Day, and 12 December as Smart Bangladesh Day.
A relevant official from the Cabinet Division confirmed that the proposal to abolish these eight national days has been approved by the Advisory Council, and a formal notification regarding their cancellation will soon be issued by the Cabinet Division.
It is noteworthy that on 30 October 2017, UNESCO recognised Sheikh Mujib's 7 March speech as a global document of historical significance. In response, the Awami League government declared 7 March as a historic day, and on 15 October 2020, the Cabinet Division classified it as a ‘Category A’ national day through a gazette notification.
Following this, multiple grand events were held to commemorate the day, costing several crores of takas. On 4 November 1972, Bangladesh’s Constitution was adopted by the Constituent Assembly, and it was enforced from 16 December of the same year, marking Victory Day. In 2022, 4 November was celebrated for the first time as National Constitution Day.
The Awami League government also celebrated Digital Bangladesh Day for the first time on 12 December 2017, to honour the declaration of Digital Bangladesh. The following year, the name was changed to Digital Bangladesh Day, and in 2023, it was reclassified as a ‘Category B’ national day under the new title of Smart Bangladesh Day.
