Bengal: New BJP government cuts short Bakrid holiday to one day

The new Bharatiya Janata Party government in West Bengal has cancelled the two-day public holiday announced for Bakrid by the previous Trinamool Congress administration, reported The Indian Express. After the new order, only Thursday will be observed as a public holiday for the festival.

Bakrid, also known as Eid-al-Adha, is a Muslim festival that commemorates the spirit of sacrifice. The festival is traditionally marked by the slaughtering of goats.

In a notification, the state Finance Department said that all government offices and institutions would be functioning on Tuesday and Wednesday, which were earlier declared holidays, ANI reported.

“Information has been received that Id-Ud-Zoha (Bakrid) will be observed on May 28, 2026 (Thursday),” the notification explained.

The development came against the backdrop of the Calcutta High Court on Thursday declining to stay a state government notification regulating the slaughter of cattle ahead of Bakrid.

On May 13, the Suvendu Adhikari-led government, in one of its first steps after coming to power in the state on May 4, said that the provisions of the Animal Slaughter Control Act will be strictly enforced.

The government notification made it mandatory for persons to obtain a certificate before slaughtering animals such as buffaloes, cows and bulls. It also prohibits public slaughter of the animals and states that officials carrying out inspections to enforce the order should not...

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