Shops to shutter for two days around Bangladesh vote

Shops, shopping malls and commercial establishments nationwide will be closed on Feb 11 and 12 to facilitate voting

Shops, shopping malls and commercial establishments across Bangladesh are set to be closed for two days, including polling day, as the country gears up for the parliamentary elections.

The Bangladesh Shop Owners’ Association said all stores, including those in Dhaka, will be closed on Feb 11 and 12 to allow workers to vote in the election and referendum.

In a statement, the association said the decision was taken at a joint meeting with the Dhaka Metropolitan Shop Owners’ Association, in line with government instructions.

The association’s President Md Nazmul Hasan Mahmud said essential shops would be allowed to remain open on Feb 11 and businesses whose staff were registered voters in the same area could also operate.

He said most shop employees worked away from their home constituencies and needed time to travel to vote.

Bangladesh last held a parliamentary election in 2024, which brought the Awami League-led government to power.

That administration was later ousted in August the same year following a student-led mass uprising, leading to the formation of an interim government.

The election and referendum is set to be held around a year and a half after the interim administration assumed office. The Awami League is not taking part, with its activities currently banned.

According to the Election Commission, there will be more than 42,000 polling centres nationwide, with nearly 250,000 voting booths.