3 new days officially recognised for national observance

The interim government announced on Wednesday the declaration of three new national observance days to commemorate key events and figures from recent history.

August 5 has been designated as July Mass Uprising Day to honor the student-led protests that led to the overthrow of the Sheikh Hasina regime on the same date last year.

August 8 will be observed as New Bangladesh Day, marking the formation of the interim government headed by Nobel Laureate Prof. Muhammad Yunus.

Additionally, July 16 has been declared Shaheed Abu Sayed Day in memory of Abu Sayed, a student of Begum Rokeya University in Rangpur, who was tragically shot dead by police during protests in the district.

The Cabinet Division issued three separate circulars announcing the observances and has instructed all relevant ministries, divisions, and agencies to commemorate these days annually.

The July Mass Uprising Day has been categorized under the Cabinet Division’s “Ka” category, which includes national and international days of major significance. These days often involve extensive ceremonies, official participation, and may be observed as government holidays.

The other two observances fall under the “Kha” category, which includes important days such as National Social Services Day and International Anti-Corruption Day but typically do not warrant public holidays.

For context, in the Bangla alphabetical system, “Ka” and “Kha” correspond to “A” and “B,” indicating different levels of formality and resource allocation.