Bangladesh to reduce working hours to battle energy crisis

BANGLADESH: Schools in Bangladesh will close an additional day each week and government offices and banks will shorten their work days by an hour to reduce electricity usage amid concerns over rising fuel prices and the impact of the Ukraine war.

The reduced hours take effect Wednesday. In Bangladesh, most schools are closed on Fridays, but now will also close on Saturdays, Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam said Monday.

He said government offices and banks will cut their work days to seven hours from the previous eight hours, but that private offices will be allowed to set their own schedules.

What lead the government to this decision?

Supply disruptions caused by the Ukraine war have led to soaring world prices for energy and food.

The country has been suffering more frequent power cuts after the government suspended operations of all diesel-run power plants, reducing daily electricity production by 1,000 megawatts. Bangladesh’s foreign currency reserves have dwindled to around US$40 billion.

– THE HINDUSTAN TIMES