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Shopping time relaxed further

Till 10pm upto 15th Ramadan, then no restriction

UNB, Dhaka
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina gave businessmen permission to keep shopping malls and marketplaces open till 10:00pm up to the 15th of Ramadan and thereafter go doing business as long as they like till the Eid-ul -Fitr festival.
She gave her consent when a delegation of Bangladesh Shop Owners' Association met her at the PM's office and requested her to allow them to do evening business for a longer time than the present shopping hours till 8:00pm.
The shop owners reciprocated her goodwill by making several promises to the premier, mainly relating to make doing with the limited supply
SEE PAGE 15 COL 4 FROM PAGE 1 of electricity.
As promised, they will keep air-conditioners switched off for one hour from 7:30pm during the whole of Ramadan.
They will shun excessive lighting and beautification at the shopping malls and markets, make best effort to use generator after the evening hours, and ensure use of energy saving bulbs at all the shops.
The shop owners also agreed to identify illegal electricity connections and inform the government about the power pilferage.
During the two-hour long meeting, the PM urged (lie authorities of the shops and markets to make area-based business plan for keeping the markets open on particular days of the week.
Hie businessmen hailed the government's daylight saving measure advancing the clock by an hour and assured the prime minister of extending all cooperation to the government.
They made the commitment to the PM that they will themselves monitor whether die promises made by them are being practiced by the shop owners at the malls and markets.
Following a suggestion from them, llasina said the government's directive for keeping the industries shut during the rush hours in the evening needs to be complied with completely.
She further emphasised informing die people about the timing of load shedding by miking and on television and radio channels on a regular basis so that they themselves can be ready to pass the time duringoutages.
Urging the authorities of the shops and markets to maintain area based routine for keeping the markets open on particular days of the week, Hasina said, "This will help in reducing traffic congestion of the city as well as family members of you and your employees will get their nearest ones for some more time."
The PM lamented that it is a bad luck for Bangladesh Awami League that whenever it comes in power, it gets the country in a bad condition.
"When we were voted to power in 1996, the situation of gas and electricity was also bad. Making hectic efforts throughout the whole five years, we had been successful in increasing power generation significantly. But, during the last seven years after that, the situation again turned for the worse. "
Hasina deplored that the governments in the last seven years were so reluctant towards electricity sector that they even did not develop power transmission lines.
"They have made the situation so bad that even though we are now able to generate more power, we will not be able to supply the additional power to many areas," she said.
The premier said the present government has found the electricity sector in such a sorry state that it has to shift gas from fertilizer factories to power plants to generate electricity.
"But, inshallah, we will be successful again in removing the electricity crisis. We just need cooperation of people of all walks of life."
The prime minister also reiterated her belt tightening call for government officials to wear shirt and pants instead of
suit at offices in the March -November period and not to take the air-conditioner below 24 degrees Celsius as these austerity measures will help save electricity.
About the prices of essentials, the PM said production of food-grains will have to be increased as well as regular smooth supply have to be ensured for better market management.
"There must be governmental intervention in the market. Otherwise, the market cannot be kept under control," Hasina opined.
One of the businessmen from Rajshahi division explained to the PM how price of a vegetable item becomes much more in city markets than the price at a rural market.
Hasina said she has already ordered the communications ministry to attach at least two compartments with every passenger train for carrying vegetables.
"1 have been informed that compartments have been added to the trains coming from northern region. However, I will look into the matter."