Kitchen markets and medicine stores are exempted from the measure taken last week in a meeting between Power and Energy Advisor Tapan Chowdhury and representatives of the Shop Owners Association at Bangladesh Secretariat.

To enforce the decision, about 100 mobile teams of Dhaka Electric Supply Authority (DESA) will move and monitor the compliance in the capital.

Member (Engineering & Commercial) Ataul Masud told the news agency that his organisation has taken all steps to ensure the implementation of the decision.

"We'll strictly monitor enforcement of the decision... If necessary, we'll call in the law enforcers to ensure the enforcement," Masud said.

He noted that about 100MW of electricity will be saved through the enforcement of the decision in Dhaka city while about 300MW may be saved from divisional cities, district and upazila towns across the country.

At present, the country generates about 2,600MW and the power shortage is about 1,500 MW. The shortfall may exceed 2,000 MW in the coming summer.