Shopping malls have been instructed to shut by 8pm

The Bangladesh Shop Business Owners’ Association has instructed all shops, commercial establishments, and shopping malls across the country—including in Dhaka—to close by 8:00pm in support of government measures amid the global energy crisis.

The decision was taken on Thursday at a joint meeting of the association’s standing committees and the Dhaka Metropolitan Shop Business Owners Association.

The move is aimed at conserving electricity and fuel as global energy markets face growing instability. The 8:00pm closure applies to all general retail outlets and malls, though essential services are exempt.

Hotels, pharmacies, and kitchen (wet) markets providing daily necessities will be allowed to operate beyond the curfew to serve the public. The announcement was jointly signed by Md Nazmul Hasan Mahmud, President of the association, and Md Arifur Rahman Tipu, its General Secretary, who urged business owners to comply in order to strengthen national energy security.

Business leaders acknowledged that the reduced hours could impact sales but said the measure is a necessary sacrifice to avoid severe power shortages in the coming months.