Shops, markets to close by 8 pm from Monday

All shops, shopping malls and markets across the country will close after 8 pm from Monday, said State Minister for Labour and Employment Begum Monnujan Sufian on Sunday.

She said the move has been in line with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s instruction to keep shops shuttered after 8 pm to save on electricity and energy.

However, the kitchen markets, pharmacies, hotels, restaurants, petrol pumps and other services are out of this restriction and can operate after 8pm, read the directives.

The decision was taken at a meeting held at the Ministry of Labor and Employment on Sunday afternoon.

Meanwhile, the traders and the businesspeople demand that shops and markets be allowed to do business until 10 pm from July 1 to July 10 for the sake of business ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.

“We will send this proposal in the form of summary to the Prime Minister's Office,” Monnujan added.

On June 16, a letter signed by the Director General of the Prime Minister's Office (Administration) Ahsan Kibria Siddiqui, said that the PM has instructed the new timing for shops to save electricity amid rising energy prices worldwide, reports UNB.