Sunday as holiday
I echo the same sentiment as expressed by Mr. S. N. Mamoon in The Daily Star on 26/5/05 on the subject. Sunday as weekly holiday was a reality in independent Bangladesh until the Ershad regime, which made Friday the weekly holiday and gave it a religious colour. President Ershad also made Islam the state religion. The Nawaz Sharif government reverted to Sunday holiday unilaterally for economic reasons, even though the country was the Islamic Republic of Pakistan. It was pointed out that Friday was being used for festivities rather than for prayers prior to introduction of Sunday holiday. Locations and timings of different countries of the world remain the same and will remain so geographically as always (One of our writers indicated variation of timing on the question of Friday holiday).
Finally, I echo the same sentiment of one of our esteemed letter writers that Friday holiday will not make us religious, faith will!
For all latest news, follow The Daily Star's Google News channel.