Bangladesh Closes Markets and Shopping Centers to Handle Power Crisis

In order to address the country’s electricity crisis, the Bangladeshi government has imposed restrictions on markets and shopping centers. To save energy, the Ministry of Power, Energy, and Mineral Resources’ Power Division has mandated that stores, markets, and shopping centers remain open only from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM.

In a memo dated 12th August 2026, the order says, “In light of the subject mentioned above, it is informed that as per the government decision, shopping malls, markets, and shops were previously allowed to remain open until 9:00 PM vide the memo dated 11 June 2026. Effective from 12 August 2026, the government has decided that various shopping malls, markets, and shops will remain open from 11:00 AM to 8:00 PM, all illuminated billboards must be switched off by 7:00 PM, and all decorative lighting must remain turned off.”

“This time limit will also apply to various ongoing and upcoming fairs/trade fairs and cultural events across the country,” the memo adds.  “However, food shops, hospitals, pharmacies, and similar establishments will be exempted from this purview,” the memo clarifies, exempting essential services from the newly imposed curbs.

At a Cabinet meeting presided over by Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on the evening of April 2, the government decided to cut the working hours of government and private offices by one hour in response to the global oil crisis brought on by the Middle East conflict. According to Bangladeshi news agency United News of Bangladesh (UNB), Bangladesh’s State Minister for Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment Nurul Haque Nur stated on Wednesday that the current government cannot be held responsible for the ongoing power and energy crisis, characterising it as a problem inherited from the previous Awami League government.

He added that the volatile situation in the Middle East has further intensified pressure on the government, the UNB report added.  “This new government, which has been in power for only six months, did not formulate the energy policy that created this situation. It is now bearing the brunt of the energy policy adopted during the Awami League era,” he said while speaking at a programme organised by the Ex-Forces Association at the Jatiya Press Club, UNB reported.

Although he was unable to provide a precise date for a complete resolution, Anindya Islam Amit, Bangladesh’s state minister for power, energy, and mineral resources, stated that the administration is working tirelessly to overcome the ongoing gas and electricity problem.

To address the current problem in the electricity and energy sectors, the government is concentrating on investigating native gas, using gas from Bhola, importing gas from Malaysia, and boosting solar power generation, according to electricity, Energy, and Mineral Resources Minister Iqbal Hassan Mahmood.

Additionally, he stated that although the nation has created significant power generation capability, the absence of sufficient fuel and transmission infrastructure prevents the entire potential from being realised. In order to lower the cost of fuel imports for the production of electricity, the energy minister added that solar power is receiving particular attention.