Bengal govt cuts Bakrid holiday to one day, cancels two-day break
Synopsis
West Bengal's new government has quietly but pointedly cut the Bakrid holiday from two days to one — cancelling a break declared under the Mamata Banerjee era. It is an early signal that Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari's administration is willing to revisit the expanded holiday calendar inherited from 34 years of TMC rule, and questions are already being asked about what comes next.
Key Takeaways
The West Bengal Finance Department on 23 May 2026 declared 28 May as the sole public holiday for Id-Ud-Zoha (Bakrid) .
An earlier notification granting a two-day holiday on 26 and 27 May — issued under the Mamata Banerjee government — has been cancelled.
26 May (Tuesday) and 27 May (Wednesday) will now be regular working days for all applicable offices and institutions.
The TMC had expanded West Bengal's public holiday list after ending 34 years of Left Front rule in 2011 .
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari 's government has also separately revised the summer vacation schedule for state-run schools.
Police stations across West Bengal have been placed on alert to ensure peaceful celebration of the festival.
The West Bengal government on Saturday, 23 May 2026, issued a notification declaring 28 May 2026 (Thursday) as the sole public holiday for Id-Ud-Zoha (Bakrid), scrapping an earlier order that had granted a two-day break on 26 and 27 May. The revision, issued by the state Finance Department, marks one of the first visible policy departures of the new administration from practices associated with the previous Mamata Banerjee-led government.
What the Notification Says
The Finance Department notification cited updated information confirming that Id-Ud-Zoha (Bakrid) will be observed on 28 May 2026. Invoking Section 25 of the Negotiable Instruments Act, 1881, the order declared that day a public holiday while simultaneously cancelling the earlier holidays notified for 26 May (Tuesday) and 27 May (Wednesday).
'Consequent upon the above, the holidays notified earlier for 26 May, 2026 (Tuesday) and 27 May, 2026 (Wednesday) on account of the Day before Id-Ud-Zoha (Bakrid) and Id-Ud-Zoha (Bakrid) respectively, are hereby cancelled. Accordingly, 26 May, 2026 and 27 May, 2026 will be working days for all offices, institutions and establishments to which the aforesaid notification applies,' the order stated.
Context: Holiday Calendar Under Scrutiny
Since the All India Trinamool Congress (TMC) came to power in West Bengal in 2011, ending 34 years of Left Front rule, the state's public holiday list had expanded considerably. Several new holidays were introduced that had no precedent in the Left Front-era calendar. The rollback of the two-day Bakrid break has now prompted speculation about whether the new administration under Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari intends to review other holidays introduced during the TMC years.
Other Early Moves by the New Government
This is not the first policy adjustment since the change of government. Just days before this notification, the Adhikari administration announced an extension of summer vacation duration in state-run schools — a move in the opposite direction on the holiday question but indicative of the new regime's willingness to revise inherited schedules.
Law and Order Measures for Bakrid
Separately, the state government has directed all police stations across West Bengal to take necessary precautions to ensure that the festival is celebrated peacefully. Authorities have been put on alert ahead of the 28 May observance.
With the new government signalling a readiness to revisit inherited administrative decisions, the coming weeks will likely clarify how far-reaching those changes will be.
Point of View
And the government's handling of the law-and-order brief on 28 May will matter as much as the notification itself.
NationPress
23 Jul 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
What change has the West Bengal government made to the Bakrid holiday in 2026?
The West Bengal government has reduced the Bakrid (Id-Ud-Zoha) holiday from two days to one, declaring only 28 May 2026 (Thursday) as a public holiday. The earlier notification granting holidays on 26 and 27 May, issued under the previous Mamata Banerjee government, has been cancelled.
Why were the 26 and 27 May holidays cancelled?
The state Finance Department cited updated information confirming that Id-Ud-Zoha (Bakrid) will be observed on 28 May 2026. The original two-day notification had been issued on 27 November 2025 under the previous administration, and the new government revised it to align with the confirmed festival date.
Who is the current Chief Minister of West Bengal?
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari leads the current West Bengal government, which came to power after the Trinamool Congress, led by Mamata Banerjee, lost office. The new administration has begun revising several inherited administrative decisions.
Will the new government change other holidays introduced by the TMC regime?
No formal announcement has been made, but the holiday revision has prompted speculation about a broader review. The TMC government had added several new holidays after ending 34 years of Left Front rule in 2011, and the current administration's moves are being watched closely for further changes.
What precautions are in place for Bakrid celebrations in West Bengal?
The state government has directed all police stations across West Bengal to take necessary measures to ensure the festival is celebrated peacefully on 28 May 2026.
