Manama: Qatar’s public sector employees will be given 10 days off as the country celebrates Eid Al Adha.
The holidays will start on Thursday, October 25, and will end on Saturday, November 3, local Arabic daily Al Watan said.
Eid holidays are usually four days, one day before Eid as pilgrims ascend Mount Arafat in the outskirts of Makkah and Muslims not performing pilgrimage are encouraged to fast.
With Eid expected to start on Friday, two days will be given in lieu of the official weekend days, Friday and Saturday.
Thursday, November 1, will be given off as it falls between two off days, the daily said.
Eid holidays in Kuwait’s public sector will be five days, local media reported.
“The holidays will start on Thursday, October 25, and will end on Monday, 29. They will be the day before Eid, the three days of Eid and Monday in lieu of Friday,” an official from the Civil Service Commission said.
Hopes by some employees to be given two days off during the Asia Co-operation Dialogue (ACD) summit in Kuwait City were dashed after the Commission denied holiday claims circulated on social networks.
“We advise Kuwaitis and expatriates to leave for work early on Monday to avoid the expected road congestions following the closure of some roads as ACD hosts arrive in the country,” the interior ministry said.
In Bahrain, the Eid holidays for public sector employees are expected to stretch from Thursday, October 25, to Tuesday, October 30.
The six-day break includes the day before Eid, the three Eid days and two days in lieu for Friday and Saturday.
Public sector employees in Saudi Arabia will have the longest break, starting on October 18 and finishing on Friday, November 2.
The sector traditionally is given up to ten days off for the pilgrimage season and Eid celebrations.
However, two weekends boosted the number of days off this year.
Several people who are not planning to perform pilgrimage said that they would use the long break to travel to neighbouring Bahrain and Dubai.
Reports said that around one million Saudis are expected to visit Dubai during the Eid.
Bahrain, linked with Saudi Arabia through a 25-kilometre causeway, is a favourite destination for Saudis and foreigners living in or near the capital Riyadh and in the Eastern province.
