Government trims spending, shortens office hours, and orders markets to close after 6pm

The government has adopted a series of measures to manage the impact of the global situation and maintain stability in fuel supplies.

Under the new directives, all government and private offices will operate from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. Banking hours for public transactions will run from 9:00 am to 3:00 pm, with banks closing at 4:00 pm.

Shopping malls and markets nationwide must shut after 6:00 pm, although essential services such as kitchen markets, food outlets, and pharmacies are exempt from this restriction.

The decisions were finalized at a cabinet meeting held বৃহস্পতিবার night at the Cabinet Room of the Parliament Secretariat, chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman.

Following the meeting, Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani briefed journalists at the media centre of Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban. He said the measures were taken in response to disruptions in fuel supply caused by the Middle East conflict. Prime Minister’s Press Secretary Saleh Shibly was also present.

Ghani noted that several cost-cutting steps will remain in effect for the next three months. These include a halt on the purchase of new vehicles, watercraft, and aircraft. Procurement of equipment, including computers, will also be suspended.

He added that internal training activities will be reduced by 50 percent, while all government-funded foreign training programs will remain suspended until further notice. Spending on meetings and seminars will also be cut by half.

Additionally, government expenditure in the power, energy, and gas sectors will be reduced by 30 percent, alongside a 30 percent cut in unnecessary travel expenses.

New guidelines for the education sector will be introduced in phases starting Sunday. The Ministry of Education will implement these measures carefully to avoid disrupting the academic system.

To ease traffic congestion during school hours in the capital, the government plans to introduce electric buses for students, replacing private car use. Educational institutions participating in the initiative will be allowed to import buses duty-free, while the private sector will also receive this benefit with a 20 percent duty applied for commercial use. Only new buses will be eligible for import.

Ghani further said efforts are underway to diversify fuel imports to ensure uninterrupted supply, with initiatives already taken to source fuel from Malaysia, Indonesia, and Kazakhstan.