Just days after Bangladesh’s Energy Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood requested additional diesel supplies from India, Bangladesh has issued an official notification dated August 12 stipulating that shopping
malls, markets, and shops can operate only between 11 am and 8 pm, underlining the energy crisis the country is currently facing.
The official notification, a copy of which is in the possession of Network18, states that malls and markets cannot operate beyond the stipulated nine hours specified by the government. It also says that all illuminated billboards must be switched off by 7 pm. The notification further states that “all types of decorative or illuminated lighting will remain switched off.”
“The idea is to minimise the use of artificial light, which is why the new closing time is 8 pm. Lights on billboards after sunset and decorative lights during an energy crisis are a luxury the government cannot afford. When residential areas are witnessing power cuts for hours, this was the quick fix and the right messaging,” a senior government official in the BNP administration told Network18 on condition of anonymity, fearing administrative action.
The energy crisis in Bangladesh is severe enough that the order is not limited to Dhaka alone. The notification, issued by the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources, imposes restrictions on ongoing and upcoming fairs, trade fairs, and cultural events across different parts of the country.
In a point-by-point directive, the government has ordered that “ongoing/upcoming fairs, trade fairs and cultural programmes across the country conclude by 8:00 pm.”
Copies of the letter have been marked to the mayors or administrators of all city corporations across Bangladesh, not just Dhaka, for implementation. It has also been sent to all divisional commissioners and deputy commissioners, indicating a nationwide rollout.
Interestingly, during a recent meeting between Indian High Commissioner to Bangladesh Pranay Verma and Bangladesh’s Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood, the latter requested additional diesel supplies from India to help deal with ongoing power and gas shortages that have affected electricity generation and increased power cuts in parts of the country.
“We have a pipeline with India through which diesel is supplied. We have asked them to provide more,” Mahmood told reporters after the meeting.
“If the war in the Middle East becomes prolonged, it may disrupt the import of fuel. Therefore, to ensure imports as per demand, the government is seeking new sources outside existing agreements,” he added.
The development raises the question of whether India will assist Bangladesh, which only a week ago had strongly criticised New Delhi after former Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina held her first virtual press conference from exile.
“India is a major exporter of refined petroleum products, especially to our neighbourhood. We have received a request from the government of Bangladesh for the supply of diesel, which is being examined,” Randhir Jaiswal, spokesperson for India’s Ministry of External Affairs, said at a media briefing on Thursday, without making any commitment on additional supplies.
