Marrakech – The Moroccan Banking Association (GPBM) announced today that all banking establishments across the country will observe an exceptional holiday on Monday, March 23, in celebration of Eid al-Fitr.
Each bank is responsible for notifying its staff and customers of the closure, the GPBM said in a statement. The association added that digital banking services will remain operational throughout the day. ATMs will also continue to function, with regular cash replenishment and technical monitoring to ensure uninterrupted service.
The banking holiday aligns with a broader government decision to grant public sector workers an additional day off. Taken under Article 3 of Decree No. 2.05.916 of July 20, 2005, the measure aims to give civil servants and local government employees an extended break for the Eid celebrations.
The private sector followed suit. The General Confederation of Moroccan Enterprises (CGEM), Morocco’s main employers’ organization, invited private companies to grant their workers the same day off.
CGEM President Chakib Alj encouraged employers to allow staff an extended weekend where possible. The confederation had made a similar appeal during last year’s Eid al-Adha, when the government declared Monday, June 9, an exceptional public sector holiday.
Ramadan began in Morocco on Thursday, February 19. Based on astronomical calculations, the holy month is expected to last 30 days, making Friday, March 20, the final day of fasting. Eid al-Fitr would then fall on Saturday, March 21.
The official date, however, remains subject to confirmation through the sighting of the Shawwal crescent moon. The Ministry of Habous and Islamic Affairs oversees this process through a network of observation points across the country. Some Muslim-majority countries may celebrate Eid as early as Friday, March 20, depending on their own methods.
The extended weekend also coincides with Morocco’s return to GMT+1. Clocks will be set forward by 60 minutes at 2 a.m. on Sunday, March 22, ending the temporary GMT schedule observed during Ramadan under Decree No. 2.18.855 of October 2018.