Cabinet cancels DST plan

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The cabinet has cancelled the plan to introduce Daylight Saving Time (DST) on a permanent basis in Bangladesh-clocks will not go forward on Mar 31, report agencies.
"The government has taken the decision in the public interest," Abul Kalam Azad, the prime minister's press secretary, told a press briefing after the cabinet meeting Monday.
DST was introduced on a trial basis last year in a bid to conserve power. Clocks went forward on June 19 and were set back again on Dec 31.
The government earlier this year had decided to introduce DST on a permanent basis by setting clocks one hour ahead on March 31 and back again on Oct 31.
The cabinet took the decision at its regular meeting held at Bangladesh secretariat with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.
The power ministry sent the issue to the cabinet division last week though it set two dates to introduce the DST again in the country, either from March 31 or April 2 next.
"We got tremendous response from different sections of the people about introduction of the DST, but the cabinet cancelled the system," a power division top official said.
The DST helped distributing agencies manage peak-hour demand in sultry summer evening as our generation shortage was huge, a top official of a distributing agency commented following the cabinet decision.
According to the power division, the country would face severe load shedding this summer as the demand of electricity for irrigation has increased by 1500-1600 MW than the previous year as the government targeted more Boro production.
"Power Development Board (PDB) could produce 4100-4200 MW on an average against the estimated demand of 6000 MW in this summer," a top official of the power division said.
Abul Kalam Azad said the cabinet would try its level best to increase power generation in the country considering its growing demand.
Besides, the cabinet also ratified the Rome Statute as a third signatory to it. A total of 110 countries have so far signed the statute.
Describing the ratification as time befitting, the cabinet opined that Bangladesh was committed to maintaining international standard to hold trial of war criminals.
Apart from this, the cabinet gave approval in principle to the Vagabond and Street Beggars Rehabilitation Act-2010 and Bangladesh Parjatan Act-2010. The meeting was also informed of the amendments brought to Social Forestation Rules- 2004.
The draft of the Vagabond and Street Beggars Rehabilitation Act-2010 was approved in principle keeping a provision of three years jail and Tk 0.1 million fine for engaging anybody in begging by force and five years jail and Tk 0.5 million fine for severing limbs of anyone to involve him or her in begging.