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The government has issued a new circular outlining guidelines for observing national and international days, emphasising cost savings and limiting elaborate celebrations.
The Cabinet Division issued the circular on Sunday, October 11, introducing several measures for observing days outside the nationally designated major festivals.
Under the new guidelines, elaborate decorations and large-scale cultural programmes should generally be avoided. Discussions on radio and television, along with seminars and symposia on a limited scale, may be organised.
Rallies and processions should be avoided on working days. Activities marking an observance week should generally be limited to three days.
Government-approved programmes must not disrupt regular office activities. Discussions and cultural events should preferably be arranged on holidays or after office hours.
Events that require no expenditure in cash or kind may be held on holidays or working days. These include broadcasting messages from the president and prime minister, hoisting flags where applicable, holding informal discussions, arranging radio and television programmes, and publishing press releases in newspapers.
The circular also advises against bringing officials and employees to Dhaka from districts or other areas outside the capital to attend observances.
To maintain government expenditure discipline, ministries and divisions have been instructed to combine similar national and international observances on the same date, giving priority to the relevant international day. Where applicable, proposals on the matter should be sent to the Cabinet Division for consideration at a Cabinet meeting.
The new circular also designates November 7 as National Revolution and Solidarity Day and declares it a public holiday.
All relevant ministries, divisions and agencies have been requested to implement the decisions. The circular also cancels an earlier directive issued by the Cabinet Division on March 11 concerning the observance of national and international days.