Business owners demand shops, malls open until 9pm ahead of Eid-ul-Azha

Bangladesh Dokan Malik Business Samity has called for extending the closing time of shops and shopping malls until 9:00 pm ahead of Eid-ul-Azha. The association has requested that commercial activities be allowed to continue until 9:00 pm instead of the current deadline of 7:00 pm.

The association also proposed that malls could open at 11:00 am instead of 9:00 am if necessary.

The demand was made in a letter signed by the organisation's president Nazmul Hasan Mahmud and general secretary Arifur Rahman Tipu, which was sent to the Ministry of Power and Energy on Saturday, May 2 .

The letter said shop owners are suffering significant financial losses due to the decision to keep malls closed by 7:00 pm. Most customers in the country prefer to shop after office hours in the evening, and the early closure has severely reduced sales and disrupted business continuity .

Small and medium-scale businesses are facing the greatest hardships. If this situation continues, many establishments may be forced to shut down, leading to increased unemployment. Furthermore, government VAT and tax collection could decline, negatively impacting the overall economy .

The association also alleged that many unauthorised van-based businesses are operating after evening using illegal electricity connections, creating unfair competition in the market .

"If necessary, malls could open at 11:00 am instead of 9:00 am. This would save electricity consumption while allowing business owners sufficient time until evening to sell their products," the association proposed.

The organisation added that business owners are always committed to following government laws and regulations and are ready to fully cooperate with authorities regarding electricity savings and security measures.

The association urged the government to consider the convenience of both buyers and sellers, as well as the country's economic interests, and extend the shopping mall closing time until 9:00 pm ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.