Shops and shopping malls ordered to close by 8pm
Graphics: Agamir Somoy
The government has ordered all shopping malls, markets and shops across the country to close by 8pm to save electricity. The Power Division issued the directive on Wednesday night.
The country has seen severe load shedding increase due to the fuel crisis. Angered by the situation, people have also attacked offices and facilities of electricity distribution companies and assaulted employees in various areas.
Speaking to reporters at the Secretariat today, State Minister for Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Anindya Islam Amit criticized the policies of the previous government and said, “We are working with all the alternatives available to us. We are working on all the alternatives we have.” He also said the government had begun working on a new strategy to deal with the situation. The government announced the new decision shortly afterward.
According to the directive, shops will remain open from 11am to 8pm. However, food shops, pharmacies and similar establishments will be exempt. The directive also orders an end to all types of decorative lighting and requires trade fairs and cultural programs to conclude by 8pm.
Previous governments also issued several directives setting closing times for shops to address load shedding. On June 1, the government ordered all shopping malls, markets and shops to close by 7pm. Later, following demands from business owners, another directive issued on June 11 extended the opening hours, allowing shops and shopping malls to remain open from 11am to 9pm.
On February 28, the United States and Israel jointly launched attacks on Iran. Iran retaliated. The war then spread across the Middle East. At one point, the Strait of Hormuz, a key route for fuel supplies, was effectively closed. The crisis intensified along with rising fuel prices. Its impact was also felt in Bangladesh.
Amid the global fuel crisis caused by the war in the Middle East, a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on the night of April 2 reduced the operating hours of government and private offices by one hour.
Recently, gas supplies from one LNG terminal declined following an accident, while supplies from another terminal were reduced due to rough seas. At the same time, coal supplies to coal fired power plants were disrupted because of adverse weather conditions, resulting in lower power generation.
