Koshi Province May Scrap Its Sunday Holiday and Return to a Six-Day Workweek

Koshi Province is considering a major shift in its weekly schedule: bringing back a six-day workweek by removing the Sunday public holiday. Chief Minister Hikmat Kumar Karki has asked the public for suggestions on social media, framing the move as a practical response to limited gains from the current two-day weekend.

Why the province is reconsidering the weekend

According to the reports, the provincial government says the two-day holiday has not significantly reduced fuel consumption or administrative costs, which were among the main arguments for keeping a shorter workweek in place. Provincial ministries and subordinate offices in Biratnagar and across Koshi Province currently observe holidays on both Saturday and Sunday.

What the proposal would change

If approved, the policy would restore Sunday as a working day for provincial offices, effectively shifting government operations back to a six-day schedule. The change would apply to ministries and subordinate offices under the provincial government, making it one of the more visible administrative reversals in recent memory.

Public feedback is now part of the process

Karki’s decision to seek public input suggests the government wants to gauge reaction before making a final call. The online consultation also highlights how workplace policy in South Asia is increasingly being debated in public, not just inside government offices.

Part of a broader debate over workweek design

Workweek reforms have become a global talking point, with governments and companies testing everything from four-day schedules to flexible hours. In Nepal, however, workweek changes have often swung back and forth, reflecting tensions between administrative efficiency, public service delivery, and worker expectations.

For now, Koshi Province is still only reconsidering the policy, but the move signals that the two-day weekend may not be settled even after being adopted across provincial offices.