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Bangladesh clocks move forward to save energy
Bangladesh has set clocks forward by an hour in its first-ever daylight savings time, aimed at easing a national power shortage.
- AP
- Published: 11:53 June 20, 2009
Dhaka: Bangladesh has set clocks forward by an hour in its first-ever daylight savings time, aimed at easing a national power shortage.
"We are doing this to save energy, and we hope that people will change their lifestyle accordingly," said Prime Minister Shakih Hasina, adjusting clocks at her office in a brief ceremony shown live on television midnight on Friday.
The impoverished South Asian country has an energy shortfall of more than 1,000 megawatts per day. The government hopes the daylight savings system can save 250 megawatts of power per day with less evening use of electric lights, Junior Power and Energy Minister Shamsul Haq Tuku said.
The change will last until October. Bangladesh is now seven hours ahead of GMT instead of six, Tuku said.
Power shortages are severe in impoverished Bangladesh, even though only 45 percent of its 150 million people have access to electricity. The country produces about 3,800 megawatts of electricity a day, compared to a demand for about 5,000.
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