Industries to stay shut once a week

Industries across the country will be shut once a week under a fresh area-based rationing programme to minimise consumption of both natural gas and electricity.
The government will announce a rationing schedule to decide on the area-based factory holidays.
State minister for power, energy and mineral resources Nasrul Hamid disclosed the decision following a meeting with business leaders at Bidyut Bhaban in Dhaka city on Sunday.
The rationing system will help save 500-550 megawatt of power, he said.
The government on April 12 imposed a four-hour gas rationing for industries from 5:00 pm to 9:00 pm daily to save natural gas.
Although the initial decision was to continue gas rationing for 15 days, the government backed down and withdrew it after 10 days of its execution amid protests from business enterprises.
During the meeting, Mr Hamid also said that the countrywide load-shedding would ease in September.
September is usually considered a post-rainy season when scorching summer heat almost passes out.
"Load-shedding can come down to half from the current level in September and the country may get rid of load-shedding from October," comments Mr Hamid.
At the meeting, business leaders sought uninterrupted power supply and keep the captive power plants outside the purview of tariff hike.
FBCCI senior vice-president Mostafa Azad Chowdhury Babu and BGMEA acting president Shahid Ullah Azim, among the top business leaders, took part in the meeting.
Under an ongoing austerity measure all the diesel-fired power plants are now shut and load-shedding is being implemented officially from July 19 to reduce diesel imports and save foreign currency.
Although area-based load-shedding was scheduled for one hour, it continued for three hours at a time in some city areas across the country, it is alleged.
Load-shedding in rural and remote areas, however, stretched for more hours, consumers claim.
Markets and shopping malls are now allowed to stay open until 8:00 pm.
The government also prohibited illumination in different social gatherings in community centers, shopping malls, shops, offices and houses since July 7.

azizjst@yahoo.com