Power-cut to shopping malls from next week

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The government is set to halt power supply to the shopping malls during the peak hours (6:30pm to11:00pm) from next week as the business community agreed to a load management plan.

Power and Energy Adviser Tapan Chowdhury disclosed the government decision after a meeting with a delegation of Dhaka Chamber of Commerce and Industry (DCCI) at the secretariat yesterday.

“We’ve got support from the business community to our load management plan… We’re hopeful that this will come into effect from next week,” he told reporters.

The adviser, however, said the plan will be implemented after more discussions with the business community next week.

Power ministry recently designed a load management plan to be implemented across the country aiming at saving about 400MW in power consumption against a forecast of 2,000MW shortfall in the coming summer.

The plan will also help reduce about 500MW in load shedding.

“We’ve accepted the load management plan”, said DCCI President Hossain Khaled, who led the delegation in the meeting.

He mentioned that as a leading chamber of the country, DCCI also had interaction with other groups of the business community like shop owners. “Others have also extended support to the plan and accepted it,” he said.

The DCCI leaders discussed with the adviser various issues, including the present anti-adulteration drive, illegal structure-eviction drive and import of electricity from India.

They urged the adviser to intensify the ongoing drive as the unscrupulous businessmen are tarnishing the image of the business community.

“Those involved in adulteration of food and medicine should be given capital punishment,” said a DCCI leader.

The business leaders also urged the government to ensure that no genuine businessman is harassed during the ongoing drive.

Responding to the appeal, the adviser said this has already been communicated at all level that no genuine businessman becomes victim.

About the proposition on power import from India, he said if the price is competitive, reasonable and unconditional, only then the government will consider it, otherwise this will not happen.

The adviser informed the business leaders that the expert committee on voter ID card would place their recommendation next week and on that basis, the government will move.

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