03/04/2026
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03/04/2026
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DHAKA, Apr 3: The government of Bangladesh has announced a series of austerity measures, including reduced office hours, spending cuts, and restrictions on non-essential consumption, aimed at addressing an ongoing energy crisis linked to instability in the Middle East.
The decisions were finalized at a Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman at the Jatiya Sangsad complex on Thursday night, according to Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani. Under the new schedule effective Sunday, public and private offices will operate from 9 am to 4 pm, while banking hours will run from 9 am to 3 pm.
To further reduce electricity consumption, shops, markets, and malls must close by 6 pm, with essential services exempt. The government has also ordered cuts in fuel and utility spending, suspended purchases of vehicles and equipment, and halted foreign training programs as part of a 180-day austerity plan aimed at reducing public expenditure and conserving foreign exchange.
