Bangladesh to shut down shopping malls, markets after 8 pm to conserve power & energy

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has instructed all concerned officials to take all key steps to close stores, shops, shopping malls and marketplaces throughout the country every day after 8 pm. As per Bangladesh national news agency BSS, these measures have been taken in an attempt to save electricity and energy in the face of ongoing power and energy price hikes throughout the world.  

All the instructions were given in a circulation that was signed by Director General (Administration) Md Ahsan Kibria Siddiqui of the Prime Minister's Office on Friday.

Shops in Bangladesh shut down in line with Bangladesh Labour Law-2006

In accordance with the Section 114 of the Bangladesh Labour Law-2006, secretaries of concerned ministries as well as divisions, like the public security division, the commerce ministry, the energy and mineral resources division, the local government department, the power division, the industries ministry, the Department of Inspection for Factories and Establishments have been asked to strictly followed the instructions.

Moreover, all divisional commissioners, deputy inspector generals of police, deputy commissioners, and superintendents of police of all divisions and districts are also directed to abide by the order.  

According to Better Work.org, the Bangladesh Labour Act of 2006 solidifies and changes the laws governing labour employment, employer-employee interactions, wage payment, compensation for worker accidents, and other labor-related issues. 

Bangladeshi govt dispatched military forces to rescue flood-affected people

The order comes at a time when severe floods have badly hit Bangladesh. Hundreds of thousands of individuals have been trapped in Bangladesh's northeastern and northern areas due to heavy monsoon rains, prompting officials to dispatch military forces for evacuation and rescue efforts, according to official declarations and news reports released early Saturday. According to the United News of Bangladesh agency, lightning hit the delta nation on Friday, killing nearly nine people. 

Floods have ravaged the northeastern regions of Sunamganj and Sylhet, cutting residents off from power and inundating hundreds of houses, according to the military's Inter Service Public Relations office on its website. 

Meanwhile, the government's Flood Forecasting and Warning Center in Dhaka in a statement warned that water levels were surging in all major rivers throughout the nation, which has around 130 rivers. 

Flight operations at the Osmani International Airport in Sylhet were halted for three days, according to Hafiz Ahmed, the airport's manager. Flood water has nearly touched the runway, as per media reports.  

Bangladesh, a low-lying country with a population of 160 million people, is vulnerable to climate-related natural disasters like floods and cyclones. As per the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, roughly 17% of Bangladesh's population would need to migrate in the next decade or so if global warming continues at its current rate. 

(Image: AP/ PTI)