General holiday tomorrow: What will remain closed and what will stay open
During a three-day state mourning starting from tomorrow, the national flag will be flown at half-mast at all government, semi-government, and autonomous institutions, educational institutions, and all government and private buildings in Bangladesh, as well as at Bangladesh missions abroad.
The government today (30 December) issued a gazette notification declaring a general holiday tomorrow by an executive order over the death of former prime minister and BNP chairperson Khaleda Zia.
The Ministry of Public Administration issued the notification this afternoon, saying that all government, semi-government, autonomous, semi-autonomous and private offices will remain closed during the holiday.
However, it said, emergency services such as electricity, water, gas and other fuels, fire service, port activities, cleaning activities, telephone and internet services, postal services and vehicles and workers engaged in these related services will remain out of the purview of the holiday.
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Besides, hospitals and offices engaged in emergency services and employees associated with these services will also remain out of the purview of this leave, the notification said.
Doctors and staff engaged in medical services, and vehicles and staff carrying medical equipment including medicines, will be excluded from the scope of the holiday, it added.
According to the notification, Bangladesh Bank will issue necessary instructions regarding the continuation of banking activities while the Supreme Court will issue necessary instructions regarding the proceedings of the court.
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, widely regarded as an uncompromising leader for democracy in Bangladesh, breathed her last this morning while undergoing treatment at Evercare Hospital in the capital.
Apart from declaring a one-day general holiday, the government also issued a gazette declaring a three-day state mourning starting from tomorrow.
"As part of the state mourning programme, during these three days, the national flag will be flown at half-mast at all government, semi-government, and autonomous institutions, educational institutions, and all government and private buildings in Bangladesh, as well as at Bangladesh missions abroad," reads the gazette.
Special prayers will be held in all mosques across Bangladesh on Friday (2 January), for the eternal peace of the departed soul. Special prayers will also be held in other religious institutions.
