Shop owners in the Dhaka metropolitan area have decided to stop illuminating their shopping malls last night, responding to the prime minister's call to cut down on electricity.

"Since there is huge loadshedding everyday, we've decided not

to waste electricity by illuminating our shops," M Helaluddin, president of the Dhaka Metropolitan Shop Owners Association (DMSOA), told The Daily Star last night.

Leaders of the association, while attending a meeting on security with State Minister for Home Affairs

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Lutfozzaman Babar at his ministry earlier in the day, assured him that the lighting would stop.

"Those of us (the association leaders) who attended the meeting have stopped lighting since the evening and, we hope, the rest will do so by tomorrow," Helaluddin told this correspondent.

Exasperated at the power crisis, people have attacked power offices and stations, he mentioned. "No major increase in power generation could be made during the rule of this government and two power stations have already be shut down."

The DMSOA leaders also demanded all political parties to work out a way to stop bomb attacks.

The minister has told them they are very alert and that they have already arrested some bombers. "But we've told him (Babar) that we' re not satisfied with this only. We want all parties to sit together and give us relief from bomb attacks."

The association leaders demanded security from the government for their customers.

"We're panicked at the prevailing law and order situation, which deteriorated because of the August 17 countrywide bombing and October 3 bomb attack in Chittagong, Chandpur and Laxmipur. The government has to provide security to judges and power stations through beefing up security across the country.

"We don't favour deployment of a lot of police at our markets. We're trying to develop our own security system. What we demand from the government is the security to our customers on their way to markets and back to their houses."

Emerging from yesterday's meeting, Babar told reporters that the government is not receiving the desired response from shop and market owners to have closecircuit televisions (CCTV), archways and metal detectors installed for checking people and their bags.

"We're getting a response but it is not enough," the state minister said. "We've talked with shop-owners and leaders of owners' associations, and we will soon invite market owners to request them to develop their own security systems."

Helaluddin, however, claimed they

already installed CCTVs, and set up archways and metal detectors at their shops.

"But there are some private-owned markets. They are not installing this security equipment there," he told reporters. "We've asked the minister to issue a notification asking markets owners to install those at their own responsibility."

The DMSOA leaders asked the minister for steps to stop silent extortion at markets and mugging on roads and around the markets.

Babar responded to the issue saying, "How would the police administration know about silent extortion unless they report it to us? We've asked them to give us information. We can take steps if they provide information to the home ministry monitoring cell and control room."

Helaluddin, however, claimed they always inform police about such incidents.

"They (businessmen) are giving you information and you're talking with them. But the criminals and extortionists are not being arrested. What is the output?" Helaluddin quoted Babar as telling the police officials at the meeting several times.

He, however, said police do not come for extortion.