The government has declared a seven-day holiday for Eid-ul-Adha, from 25-31 May.

The decision was announced following a Cabinet meeting held at the Secretariat tonight (7 May) with Prime Minister Tarique Rahman in the chair.

However, the weekly holiday on Saturday (23 May) has been cancelled and offices will remain open.

The information was disclosed in a press release issued by the Cabinet Division.

Besides, the cabinet meeting approved the draft of the `National Public Toilet Policy 2026.’

Its main objectives are to raise public awareness regarding the use, maintenance and cleanliness of public toilets; ensure easy access to hygienic and standard public toilet facilities across the country to improve public health and sanitation standards; and guarantee user-friendly toilet facilities for women, children, persons with disabilities, the elderly, and marginalised communities.

In addition, the policy aims to ensure effective management models and financing for the long-term functionality and sustainability of the public toilet system, as well as establish effective mechanisms for monitoring, evaluating, and updating the policy as needed to keep it relevant over time.

To raise awareness among students about hygienic toilet usage, the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Primary and Mass Education, the Local Government Division, the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will undertake necessary initiatives.

Infrastructure development projects must include the construction of separate toilets for women. Construction of septic tanks for waste storage in all toilets will be mandatory, and under no circumstances will toilet waste be allowed to flow into rivers, canals, wetlands, or other water bodies and cause water pollution.

sunnews/ra