State Minister for Energy announces time for shops and malls

All shops and shopping malls in the country will be allowed to remain open until 7:00 pm, instead of 6:00 pm as the previous decision regarding this has been reconsidered.

State Minister for Power and Energy, Anindya Islam Amit, informed journalists of this today, Sunday, in his office at the Secretariat.

In light of the energy crisis arising from the war in the Middle East, the government had announced that all shops and malls in the country would close at 6:00 pm. This decision was supposed to take effect starting today, Sunday.

However, the leaders of the Bangladesh Shop Owners Association requested Prime Minister Tarique Rahman to reconsider the decision, asking for the opportunity to conduct business until 8:00 pm.

They held a meeting on this matter yesterday, Saturday, at the Biddut Bhaban in the capital, with the Minister of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources, Iqbal Hasan Mahmud.

In that meeting, the leaders of the Shop Owners Association stated that they wish to open shops at 11:00 am instead of 9:00 am if necessary, and sought the opportunity to conduct business until 8:00 pm instead of 6:00 pm.

''Let us keep shops open until at least 7:00 pm," the State Minister for Power quoted a leader of the shop owners' association as saying.

"Although the Cabinet Meeting had initially decided that shops would remain open until 6:00 pm, the prime minister has reconsidered the previous decision, taking into account the appeal from the shop owners' association. Shops will be allowed to stay open until 7:00 pm," he added.

The State Minister for Power and Energy mentioned that the time frame has been revised considering the overall economic situation of the country and the livelihood of the business community.