Calender
Today is 1st Moharram, the first day of Islamic calendar, which is a gazetted holiday in this country. But the local authorities, decided to postpone the holiday to Wednesday (tomorrow) for public sector offices and Thursday for private sector offices.
What kind of discrimination is this, if holiday needs to be declared then it should be for everyone on same date. Further, why need to postpone the holiday, isn’t it is supposed to be on 1st of Moharram?
I wonder, when the Islamic calendar will be decided to facilitate the holidays combining with weekend to make long weekend. I think very soon !!
Anyways, who cares about sighting of moon, right?
I totally agree. I was thinking that we will have a holiday today, but everyone I know called up and said we have a holiday on thursday (also in newspapers). But our HR announced yesterday that we (the Banks) will be closed tomorrow (1st feb).
Now that really doesnt sound nice from any perspective.
Neither does it coincide with the 1st of Moharram, nor with the weekend.
I believe as weekly days off for govt. offices starts are thursday and friday, the 1st Moharram holiday was shifted to Wednesday to create a 3-day weekend. For private sector, the weekend is usually friday and saturday, which is why they shifted this holiday to thursday (for the private sector). Banks unfortunately have to follow the government holiday which is why they have to have Wednesday off and go back into work on thursday, before their weekend.