Govt orders to close shops, markets at 8pm

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked all concerned to take necessary measures to shut down shops, shopping malls, markets and kitchen markets across the country after 8:00pm every day.

Businesses, however, have opposed the decision fearing of incurring loss and thus urged the government to put off the decision till Eid-ul-Azha, one of the biggest festivals for Muslims.

The instruction was given through a circular signed by Prime Minister’s Office Director General (Administration) Mohd Ahsan Kibria Siddiqui on Friday.

The notification was issued aimed at saving power and energy against the backdrop of worldwide continued price hike of the power and energy.

Secretaries of ministries and divisions concerned such as public security division, commerce ministry, energy and mineral resources division, local government division, power division, industries ministry,  department of inspection for factories and establishments, all the divisional commissioners, deputy inspector  generals of police, deputy commissioners and superintendents of police of all divisions and districts have been asked to execute the order strictly in line with Section 114 of the Bangladesh Labour Law-2006.

Traders urge to defer decision till Eid

Businesses urged the government to postpone the decision on shutting down shops, shopping malls, markets and kitchen markets after 8:00pm till Eid-ul-Azha. They came up with the call at the first meeting of the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) Standing Committee on Development of Local Garments held at the FBCCI Board Room in Dhaka on Saturday, according to a press release.

Businesses said that they have been deprived of the full-scale festival centric sale due to the two-year long Covid-19 pandemic and thus incurred huge losses.

Thanking the prime minister at the meeting, business leaders said that with the help of timely incentive packages during the pandemic, the traders are working relentlessly now to revive the economy. Under the circumstances, they said, if the sales close after 8:00pm, the process of revival will be stumbled.

Echoing the demand of the traders, FBCCI Senior Vice-President Mostofa Azad Chowdhury Babu also called for postponing the government decision till Eid-ul-Azha.

“The office-goers usually prefer to visit shopping malls after evening. Therefore, the instruction will discourage them to shop, which would put millions of small and medium entrepreneurs into further loss,” he added.