Govt order to close shops at 8pm everyday comes to effect on Monday

Govt order to close shops at 8pm everyday comes to effect on Monday

The government order to shut stores and shopping malls at 8pm everyday to save power and fuel amid rising global energy prices is going into effect from Monday.
The authorities fixed the date and sorted out other details in a meeting hosted by the labour and employment ministry on Sunday. Representatives of businesses were also present.
Monnujan Sufian, state minister for labour and employment, said the ministry took steps to implement the Labour Act, which stipulates that all shops must be closed by 8pm, on Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s instructions.
She said the business leaders, including the Association of Shop Owners and the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry, accepted the decision.
Mostofa Azad Chowdhury Babu, senior vice-president of FBCCI, said the owners wanted to keep the shops selling readymade garments open until 10pm before Eid-ul-Azha. Now they want the government to let them sell garments until 10pm from Jul 1. “This proposal will be forwarded to the Prime Minister’s Office.”
Section 114 of the Labour Act states no shop shall on any day remain open after 8pm. Provided that any customer who was being or was waiting in the shop to be served at such hour, may be served during the period of thirty minutes immediately following such hour.
The government may, on consideration of special circumstances, alter, by notifications in the official gazette, the closing hours of shops in any area in any season on such conditions as may be imposed.
The provisions of this section shall not apply to-
(a) docks, wharves or stations and terminal offices or transport services including airports;
(b) shops dealing mainly in any vegetables, meat, fish, dairy products, bread, pastries, sweetmeats and flowers;
(c) shops dealing mainly in medicines, surgical appliances, bandages or other medical requisites;
(d) shops dealing in articles required for funerals, burials or cremation;
(e) shops dealing mainly in tobacco, cigars, cigarettes, bidis, pan, liquid refreshments, newspapers or periodicals sold retail for consumption in the premises, ice;
(f) petrol pumps for the retail sale of the petrol and automobile service stations not being repair workshops;
(g) the barbers and hairdressers ;
(h) any system of public conservancy or sanitation,
(i) any industry, business or undertaking which supplies power, light or water to the public;
(j) clubs, hotels, restaurants, catering houses cinemas or theatres. Provided that where several trades or business are carried on in the same shop or commercial establishment and, the majority of them, by their nature, are eligible to an exemption under this section, the exemption will apply to the entire shop or commercial establishment.