The government may cancel the weekly holiday on Saturday after the end of ongoing general holidays to tackle economic downturn triggered by the coronavirus pandemic.
State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain said on Wednesday that the situation does not warrant for cancelling the holiday after 49 days of lockdown, reports bdnews24.com.
“But we have a practice of cutting down weekly holidays. We will surely do it if required,” he added.
Two former cabinet secretaries also suggest taking the advantage of holiday cancellation after the end of lockdown to offset the financial losses incurred by almost all sectors.
Bangladesh decided to impose nationwide lockdown on Mar 26 and extended it to May 30. Public transport system and educational institutions are also shut.
The coronavirus has infected 17,822 people and killed 269 others in Bangladesh until Wednesday morning, according to the government.
