Today's 11:00 PM will be 12:00 AM automatically by advancing an hour as part of the government initiated day light saving time for energy saving.

Bangladesh Awami Juba League brought out procession from Muktangan to drum up the advancing of the clock by an hour. NN photo

The government will release a postal stamp of Tk 5 today to make occasion more remarkable. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina is expected to release the stamp formally, sources said.

The government has in the mean time launched vigorous media campaign for the success of Daylight Saving Time.

As a part of the campaign a special programme will be aired by the state-owned BTV tonight.

The Met Department will adjust sunrise and sunset time on June 20 by advancing an hour.

However, the government would add seven hours before Greenwich Mean Time (GMT) to count Bangladesh time today, which was six hours earlier. The World-met department would be informed in this regard, Prime Minister Adviser for Power and Energy Dr Tawfiq-e-Elahi Bir Bikram earlier said.

He informed that there will no change in the opening time of educational institutions and flight schedule but the prayer time will be changed in accordance with sunrise and sunset.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs will announce new prayer schedule for all the mosques and madrashas, the adviser said.

Earlier the cabinet in its regular meeting on June 1 decided to put forward the clock by one hour by introducing daylight saving time from midnight of June 19 next.

Besides, the government has also taken initiative to create awareness about day light saving time in the countryside, the Prime Minister Adviser said.

Through the Daylight saving time, the government is expected to save 200MW of electricity per day.

- The New Nation