Desk Report:
Cabinet Secretary Nasimul Ghani briefed journalists at the Media Center of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban in Dhaka on Thursday (April 02, 2026) after the cabinet meeting. During this, he told journalists that the impact of the ongoing conflict on the fuel oil, gas, electricity and fertilizer sectors; the action plan prepared by the Finance Department containing the action plan (short, medium and long term) and financing strategy to deal with the situation; and the action plan prepared by the Finance Department have been reviewed. In addition, the draft of ‘The Public Examinations (Offences) (Amendment) Act, 2026’ was given in-principle approval in the meeting.
In the current global situation, the integrated action plan prepared by the Power Department to resolve the power and energy crisis has set a target of saving about 3100 megawatts of electricity per day. In the implementation of this action plan, importance has been given to providing irrigation facilities to agricultural land, ensuring production, storage and fair distribution of fertilizer, and continuing the supply of necessary fuel to the industrial sector on a priority basis in the interest of maintaining industrial production and growth.
All types of lighting should be avoided nationwide for the next three months. The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting will undertake publicity activities through print and electronic media to increase public awareness about the measures taken to save electricity, including the avoidance of lighting. A sufficient number of mobile courts will be operated where applicable.
Government and private offices have been scheduled to operate from 9 am to 4 pm, banks and financial institutions from 9 am to 4 pm, and banking services from 10 am to 3 pm. It was decided in the meeting that all office buildings, shopping malls and commercial establishments, except for emergency services, should be closed at 6 pm.
The Ministry of Education will present a proposal in the next cabinet meeting after discussing with stakeholders regarding the implementation of the action plan for saving electricity in educational institutions.
The Secretary said that in order to reduce fuel consumption and environmental pollution, a proposal has been approved to import completely new eco-friendly electric buses duty-free for registered educational institutions and at a total duty of 20 (twenty) percent for other cases. A decision has been taken to gradually remove black smoke emitting and expired vehicles from the roads.
In addition, to reduce the government’s operating expenses, the Prime Minister, ministers and state ministers will consume 30 percent less of the monthly allocated fuel for their vehicles in their official activities.
He further said that until further orders, to reduce the government’s operating expenses, interest-free loans for purchasing cars to government officials and all foreign training funded by the government will be suspended. Domestic training expenses, excluding training expenses, will be reduced by 50 percent.
Entertainment expenses at meetings and seminars will be reduced by 50 percent and seminar-conference expenses will be reduced by 20 percent. In addition, travel expenses will be reduced by 30 percent. Purchase of cars, watercraft, aircraft and computers in the government sector will be stopped 100 percent.
The monthly allocated fuel consumption in government vehicles should be reduced by 30 percent. The consumption of fuel, electricity and gas in government offices should be reduced by 30 percent.
The meeting also decided to reduce the cost of beautification of residential buildings by 20 percent, the cost of beautification of non-residential buildings by 50 percent and the cost of land acquisition by 100 percent.
