Maha Saptami Puja is an important observance for Bengalis during Durja Puja. It’s a ritual that most want to attend. But bankers in West Bengal may find it difficult to attend as they don’t have a holiday on Saturday, October 17, 2026, the date when Maha Saptami Puja will be performed.
Due to this, the West Bengal unit of the All India Bank Officers' Confederation (AIBOC) has requested Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari to declare a holiday for all bankers on October 17.
Bankers working in West Bengal have Durga Puja holidays from October 18 to 21. But the AIBOC’s West Bengal unit wants the government to declare a holiday on October 17 as well.
Speaking to ET Wealth Online, the AIBOC’s West Bengal unit secretary Shubhajyoti Chattopadhyay says: "Considering the sentiments and well-being of bank employees, we humbly urge the authorities to kindly declare Saturday, October 17, 2026, a holiday under the Negotiable Instruments Act.
Chattopadhyay further says, "To ensure that ordinary citizens do not face any hardship, Banks have made the necessary arrangements in coordination with the RBI to keep currency chests operational on the required days. This will ensure that ATMs across the state remain adequately replenished and customers do not suffer due to cash-out situations."
In a letter to the West Bengal CM, Chattopadhyay writes that Maha Saptami Tithi commences on the intervening night of October 16 (Friday) and October 17 (Saturday), and will continue till the wee hours of October 18, Sunday.
Chattopadhyay writes, “Thus effectively, Maha Saptami Tithi will witness two sunrises and will continue for the whole day of October 17 and will end on October 18.”
Chattopadhyay further writes, “Since Maha Saptami is continuing for two days, October 17 must also be declared as a holiday under the NI Act. Otherwise, the entire banking fraternity and those serving in other financial institutions in our state will not be able to worship Maa Durga on Saptami.”
Bankers give past references of similar instances of holidays during Durga Puja
The letter reads that there have been instances in West Bengal of declaring five holidays as well as three holidays in some years on Durga Puja, depending on the Maha Saptami Puja date.
The letter says the unit’s demand to declare October 17 as a holiday is not illogical as October 17 is a holiday for state government employees.
“Moreover, October 17 has been declared as a holiday for the state government. If bankers and workers in other financial institutions are forced to work on Maha Saptami, they will feel left out of the celebrations, marking the arrival of Maa Durga, which will be extremely demotivating to them,” reads the letter.
RBI has three days of holidays for West Bengal bankers
As per the RBI calendar for October, Kolkata has three days of holidays from October 19-21. However, bankers in West Bengal also have a state-specific holiday on October 18. But now, they are also requesting the chief minister to declare October 17 as a holiday for them.