Govt announces holiday on Feb 11 in addition to Feb 12 to facilitate voting

Apart from the public holiday on polling day, February 12, the Council of Advisers today approved a proposal to declare February 11 a public holiday to facilitate voter participation and ensure effective law and order management ahead of the election.

The decision was taken at the Council’s weekly meeting held at the Chief Adviser’s Office, chaired by Chief Adviser Professor Muhammad Yunus.

Later in the afternoon, Chief Adviser’s Press Secretary Shafiqul Alam briefed reporters at the Foreign Service Academy, saying the Council approved the proposal following recommendations from a high-level meeting held on Wednesday on election preparations and security.

He said the meeting also approved an additional holiday on February 10 exclusively for workers in industrial zones.

“As a result, workers in industrial zones will enjoy holidays on February 10 and 11, and together with the public holiday on polling day on February 12, they will have a three-day break,” the press secretary said, noting that the February 10 holiday will apply only to industrial zone workers.

Shafiqul Alam explained that the move would allow voters currently residing in Dhaka, industrial towns, and other major cities to travel to their home constituencies on the eve of the election to cast their ballots.

The measure is also expected to help authorities maintain law and order more effectively during the election period, he added.

An official order detailing the decisions will be issued shortly.

Chief Adviser’s Senior Assistant Press Secretary Foyez Ahammad was also present at the briefing.