Govt reschedules office timing for Ramadan

The government has rearranged the office timing for the upcoming holy month of Ramadan from 9am to 3:30pm for all government, semi-government, autonomous and semi-autonomous institutions.

The decision was taken on Monday at the weekly cabinet meeting held with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair.

The Prime Minister virtually joined the meeting held at the Bangladesh Secretariat from her official residence Ganobhaban.

"During Ramadan, 9am to 3.30pm was fixed as the office timing from Sunday to Thursday, and there'll be a 15-minute break from 1:15 to 1:30pm for Zahr prayer" said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam.

While briefing reporters after the meeting, he said, banks and other financial institutions, Bangladesh Railway, the agencies involved in emergency services like fire services, hospitals, state-owned industries and factories, other companies as well as the Supreme Court will reschedule their own office timing for the Ramadan following their own rules and considering the public interest.

Fridays and Saturdays will remain the weekend as usual during Ramadan, the Cabinet Secretary added.

This year, the holy Ramadan in Bangladesh is expected to begin on April 12.