The government of Bangladesh has set the office timing for the upcoming holy month of Ramadan – from 9 am to 3:30 pm – for all government, semi-government, autonomous and semi-autonomous institutions. The decision was taken today at the weekly cabinet meeting held with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair at the PMO. Read: Sufficient commodities in stock, refrain from panic buying during Ramadan: Govt “During Ramadan, 9 am to 3:30 pm has been set as office hours,” Cabinet Secretary Mahbub Hossain said while briefing reporters. He said there will be a 15-minute break from 1:15 to 1:30pm for Zuhr prayers. Read More: If people don’t buy in excess, there will be no price hike of essentials ahead of Ramadan: Tipu Munshi

Bangladesh Bank on Thursday (November 03, 2022) announced new transaction hours and office timing for bankers with effect from November 15. According to the new circular of the department of Off-site Supervision of the central bank, banking transaction hours have been set from 10 am to 3.30 pm while the banks’ office hours from 10 am to 5 pm from Sunday to Thursday. Read more:Office timing rescheduled for 8:00 am to 3:00 pm to save electricity Bankers' existing office timing is from 10 am to 4 pm. On August 22, the government of Bangladesh rearranged the office timing from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm for all the government and autonomous offices and from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm for all banks in a bid to save electricity amid short supply. The decision was effective from August 24. Read More: Govt mulls rescheduling office timing amid power shortage, says energy advisor

Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam today (September 4, 2022) said that directive has been given once again about office timings. He was speaking at a briefing after the cabinet meeting. “According to the new timing, all government officials have to arrive at office within 8:00am and leave at 3:00pm. No one can leave office before the set time, except those who take permission from their bosses. We’re going to ensure this,” said Anwarul. Replying to a question, the Cabinet Secretary said that the new office timing will remain effective until further notice. The decision on the new office timing was taken at a cabinet meeting on August 22, which was implemented on August 24. Read: PM directs import of additional food grains About the Mother of Humanity Social Welfare Award, Anwarul said that the cabinet has decided to change its name. “Cabinet members were pressing to change the name of the award for a long time. Based on their proposal, the cabinet has approved a draft today according to which the new name of the award will be ‘National Human Development Medal-2022’,” said the Cabinet Secretary.   The Mother of Humanity Award was approved by the cabinet in 2018.

Office timing may be rescheduled with the introduction of a provision to work from home for certain days in order to save electricity. Prime Minister’s Energy Advisor Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Chowdhury hinted this while briefing the media on outcomes of a high level meeting of the top officials of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources and its subordinate bodies at the Prime Minister’s Office on Thursday.    “We’ll recommend to the government to reschedule the office timing from 9 am to 3 pm and also allow officials to work from home for two or three days a week”, he told reporters. Read: PM seeks people’s support to cut power subsidy amid hard times The Cabinet Division will take the final decision, he added, saying that the Education Ministry will take decisions about educational institutions. He also announced a series of austerity measures that the meeting would recommend to implement like limited use of air conditions in offices, markets and mosques and keep the level of coolness at 25 degree celsius and strictly follow the market closing time at 8 pm after the Eid as part of the demand management in electricity consumption. The wedding ceremony has to be completed within an hour from 7 to 8 pm as part of the management.