The Cabinet has decided to relocate the Shahbagh Police Station from its present location to fully implement the Swadhinata Stambha project at Suhrawardy Udyan in Dhaka.
It will be relocated to the current location of the Sakura restaurant, near the Hotel Intercontinental intersection, an official of the cabinet division said.
This decision was taken at the meeting held at the prime minister’s office on Monday, presided over by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
According to sources, the PM instructed the home and LGRD ministers to implement the decision.
Sources said Shahbagh Police Station was the main obstruction in implementing the Swadhinata Stambha project. The decision removed that uncertainty.
The Ministry of Liberation War proposed removing the police station in a cabinet meeting on Monday.
According to the sources, despite repeated attempts by the Ministry of Liberation War Affairs, the Ministry of Home Affairs did not take the initiative to move the police station. Moreover, Dhaka South City Corporation opposed the relocation of the police station.
Besides, government, semi-government, autonomous and semi-autonomous institutions will run from 9am to 5pm after Eid-ul-Azha vacation. On November 15, 2022, the office schedule was made from 9am to 4pm to save power and energy. Earlier, during usual time, schedule of the government offices was from 9am-5pm.
Now, government offices will return to previous schedule again.
The cabinet secretary said the government office time will be from 9am to 5pm between Sunday and Thursday but there will be a 30-minute break from 1pm to 1:30pm for prayers and lunch.
Friday and Saturday will be weekend holidays, he said.
Mahbub Hossain said Shahbagh Thana will be shifted from the capital’s Suhrawardy Udyan as the new address of the police station will be on Ramna mouza in Sakura restaurant area near Hotel Intercontinental.
The government has decided to shift the thana for the Swadhinata Stambha (third phase first revised) construction project.
Besides, the cabinet today approved drafts of Bangladesh Forest Industries Development Corporation Act and National Bio-safety Policy 2024 and few other issues.
