Office, school hrs to change

The government and stakeholders in the private sector at a meeting yesterday agreed on a draft proposal for separate timing for offices and educational institutions to reduce traffic congestion in the capital.
The meeting, held at the establishment ministry with secretary to the ministry Iqbal Mahmud in the chair, discussed different aspects of the proposal that is based on recommendations made at an inter-ministerial last month.
As per the proposal, government offices and those of autonomous and semi-autonomous bodies will open at 9:00am and close at 5:00pm. Banks, insurance, other financial institutions, and non-government offices and institutions will open at 10:00am and close at 6:00pm.
The timing for primary level educational institutions -- both public and private-- will be between 9:30am and 4:30pm, says the proposal.
It also says English medium schools, international schools, high schools and madrasas will open between 7:00am and 8:30am.
Educational institutions located in the same area can fix their timing through discussion, depending on traffic situation in the area.
Iqbal said the proposal will be discussed further before the cabinet approves it.
He hoped the proposed timing would reduce traffic jam in the city.
The proposal was prepared following instructions from the prime minister, he mentioned.
The meeting was attended by representatives from the finance and commerce ministries, Dhaka City Corporation, Bangladesh Bank, the FBCCI, BGMEA, BKMEA, DCCI, Bangladesh Association of Banks and Bangladesh Insurance Association.