According to a notification issued by the West Bengal Finance Department, the state government has declared May 28, 2026, as the only official public holiday for Eid-ul-Zuha, also known as Bakrid or Eid-al-Adha.
The revised order cancels the earlier provision of a two-day holiday that existed under the previous TMC administration. Under the original 2026 state holiday calendar prepared before the change in government, government employees, educational institutions and public offices were scheduled to remain closed for two consecutive days around the festival.
The latest notification issued by the new BJP-led administration withdraws the previously declared holidays for May 26 and May 27. Both days will now function as normal working days across government offices, public sector undertakings, corporations and statutory bodies in the state.
The move is being seen as one of the earliest and clearest administrative departures from the policies of the Mamata Banerjee era.
End of a policy followed during Mamata Banerjee government
For over a decade, the Mamata Banerjee-led TMC government had defended the extended Bakrid holiday arrangement as part of its outreach toward minority communities in the state.
During the TMC regime, the two-day holiday structure had become a regular feature of West Bengal’s official calendar. Supporters of the policy argued that the arrangement acknowledged the significance of the festival for the state’s large Muslim population.
However, critics had repeatedly questioned the need for a longer state shutdown compared to the Centre’s one-day holiday structure. They argued that extended closures affected administrative functioning, delayed public services and impacted government productivity.
With the BJP now in power, the state administration has moved to align Bengal’s holiday calendar more closely with the Central government model, where Bakrid is observed as a single-day holiday.
Sources within the administration indicated that the government intends to streamline public service operations and minimize prolonged institutional closures.
BJP government pushes administrative restructuring
The holiday revision comes amid broader changes introduced by the new Bengal government after the Assembly election results earlier this month.
Since assuming office, the BJP administration has initiated several policy and administrative reviews, particularly in areas relating to law and order, government functioning and regulatory enforcement.
Officials associated with the new government argue that reducing extended closures will help maintain continuity in governance, infrastructure work and delivery of public services.
The decision has also triggered political debate, with supporters calling it a step toward administrative uniformity while critics view it as a symbolic rollback of policies introduced during the TMC era.
Calcutta High Court backs stricter Bakrid slaughter regulations
The holiday revision coincides with another major development ahead of Bakrid celebrations in the state.
In a parallel legal development, the Calcutta High Court refused to interfere with a state government notification enforcing stricter implementation of the West Bengal Animal Slaughter Control Act ahead of the festival.
A division bench comprising Chief Justice Sujoy Paul and Justice Partha Sarathi Sen observed that the state’s regulatory guidelines fell within constitutional limits.
The court reportedly referred to previous Supreme Court observations regarding animal sacrifice and religious practices while allowing the state government to continue enforcing stricter monitoring measures.
Following the court’s decision, the Bengal administration has intensified preparations for festival monitoring and law-and-order management across several districts.
Heavy police deployment and increased surveillance measures are expected in sensitive areas during the Bakrid period.
