Shop owners seek 10pm closing time in letter to PM

Shop owners seek 10pm closing time in letter to PM

The Bangladesh Shop Owners Association has sent a letter to the Prime Minister demanding that shops, malls and shopping centres be allowed to remain open from 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm daily. The association's leaders said the current decision to keep shops closed by 7:00 pm is severely harming retail businesses and putting the livelihoods of millions of traders and employees at risk.

In the letter sent to the Prime Minister's Office on Monday, June 8, association president Nazmul Hasan and general secretary Arifur Rahman stated that business operating costs have increased significantly, with shop rent, electricity bills, bank loan instalments, employee salaries and other expenses rising, leaving traders in severe crisis. The mandatory closure of shops after 7:00 pm is adding extra pressure on businesses.

Business leaders noted that most office workers and busy people cannot shop during the day, typically coming to markets in the evening or after sunset. Without the opportunity to keep shops open until 10:00 pm, traders are losing potential sales, which not only shrinks business scope but also threatens employment.

If shops and malls are allowed to remain open until 10:00 pm, the livelihoods of approximately 70 lakh traders and employees would be secured. This would also expand trade and commerce, increase government revenue and accelerate overall economic activity.

Following the global energy crisis caused by the Middle East war, a cabinet meeting chaired by the Prime Minister on April 2 decided to close shops and malls by 6:00 pm. After demands from traders, the deadline was extended by one hour to 7:00 pm.

Later, on the occasion of Eid-ul-Azha, shops were allowed to remain open until 10:00 pm from May 12 until the festival. However, after Eid, the government reimposed the 7:00 pm closure directive.

In this situation, business leaders have called upon the government to reconsider the earlier decision and permit shops and malls to remain open from 12:00 pm to 10:00 pm throughout the year.