Govt offices start implementing austerity measures

No matter how hot and humid the weather outside, temperature inside the Secretariat remained comfortably low even two days ago, but on Thursday it was not that comfortable as air-conditioners were used minimally there as per the government direction regarding saving power.

Only a few officials were seen wearing coats amid the hot environment. Some corridors and corners at the Secretariat looked darker as unnecessary or decorous lights were switched off. Besides, meetings were held online to lower power consumption.

All the government offices across the country took similar initiatives following the government's 20 July direction to reduce electricity consumption by 25% as part of the austerity measures taken for combating the ongoing energy crisis.

The government has also asked the education ministry and the primary and mass education ministry to take necessary initiatives to rationalise the use of private vehicles for transporting students to save fuel.

AKM Aftab Hossain Pramanik, additional secretary (Admin and Finance) of the Secondary and Higher Education Division, told The Business Standard that the education ministry has issued a notice for all the offices and educational institutions under the ministry to reduce electricity consumption by 25%.

Air-conditioners have to be kept at 26 degrees Celsius and meetings must be held online to save electricity, the notice said.

All of the offices were asked to submit their report to the ministry at the first week of every month in this regard.

"We have started using fans instead of air-conditioners in the large rooms of the ministry. We keep almost 50% of the bulbs switched off," he said.

Shahidul Alam, director general of Bureau of Manpower, Employment and Training (BMET), told TBS that they have reshuffled their meeting rooms and removed unnecessary materials. "We have directed to remove all the unnecessary light bulbs and appointed an official to monitor the use of electricity."

Md Sazzadul Islam Mir, deputy commissioner of taxes (Zone 3 Dhaka), told TBS that his room has three light bulbs, but currently he uses only one. He has also stopped using the air-conditioner in his room and asked others to do the same.

"I try to reduce electricity consumption at home too. I keep all the light bulbs turned off during the day," he added.

"Fuel and electricity crises are worldwide problems now. Bangladesh cannot escape from such a crisis even if it wants. So, every citizen should help the government by reducing electricity consumption," he added.

Md Shamim Hasan, acting director of Bangladesh Power Development Board, said, "We are now putting emphasis on stopping unnecessary electricity consumption."

The offices outside Dhaka have also started to follow the government's direction to reduce the electricity consumption.

Md Kamrul Hasan Sohel, upazila nirbahi officer (UNO) of Zajira, Shariatpur, told TBS that he talked with all the offices in his upazila and asked them to reduce power consumption by 50%.

"We have already been keeping all the air-conditioners at every office including the UNO office turned off. We will avoid in-person meetings in all hall rooms. We are now working using table fans in our offices," he added.