New timings for offices, schools
DHAKA: The government has approved new timings for government and non-government offices, educational institutions, banks and financial institutions keeping the current Daylight Saving Time (DST) in place to tackle the nagging traffic jam in the capital.
Government, semi-government and autonomous institutions will continue with their current 9:00am to 5:00pm office schedule while the timings for banks, insurances, financial companies and private organisations will be from 10:00am to 6:00pm.
Government primary schools will now start at 9:30am and close at 4:15pm while other educational institutions like high schools, colleges, English-medium schools and madrasas will start between 7:00am and 8:30am and finish between 1:00pm and 2:30pm.
The decision came at a regular cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday.
PM’s Press Secretary Abul Kalam Azad briefed the newsmen after the meeting.
A gazette notification will be issued soon from the establishment ministry to implement the decision, Azad said.
The cabinet gave final approval to an amendment to the Gas Bill 2009 to ensure proper management and control on gas usage.
The bill has been approved with a provision of punishment for illegal gas connection and meter tampering, he said.
The meeting also approved a proposal on signing an agreement on development of capital investment and preservation between Bangladesh and Denmark.
The cabinet took a total of 204 decisions and gave nod to 73 bills since the government took office. Of them, 104 were implemented while 76 are in the process of implementation, Azad said.
The implementation rate of the cabinet decision is 69 percent, he added.
Ministers, state ministers and secretaries concerned were present at the meeting.
