The government yesterday fixed separate timetable for public and private offices, financial institutions and educational institutions in the capital with a view to easing discomfort of the commuters from the nagging traffic jam.

The government offices will remain open from 9am to 5pm, banks, financial institutions and all private companies from 10am to 6pm and primary and kindergarten schools from 9:30am to 4:15pm. Secondary, higher secondary and English medium schools will start between 7am and 8:30am and end between 1pm and 2:30pm," Abul Kalam Azad, Press Secretary to the Prime Minister, told journalists after regular weekly cabinet meeting at PID conference room.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina presided over the meeting. Ministers, state ministers and advisers to the Prime Minister, among others, were present at the meeting. He said that a gazette notification of the new timetable would be published soon. On the issue of traffic jam in the city, he said that Prime Minister has ordered recruitment of more manpower for traffic department and reactivate BRTC buses and create public awareness about traffic rules. She also suggested shifting of some offices from the secretariat to Sher-e-Bangla Nagar. Azad further said that the cabinet meeting also approved the Gas Law- 2009 and the proposal for signing an agreement between Bangladesh and Denmark on capital investment.

The cabinet discussed the outcome of the participation of Bangladesh in the 53rd General Conference of International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) which concluded in Vienna On September 18. The meeting reviewed the progress and implementation of decisions taken in the previous cabinet meetings. "The cabinet in its previous 36 meetings took 207 decisions on various issues. Of these, 128 decisions were implemented fully. The rate of success is 69 per cent," said Abul Kalam. He said the Parliament has endorsed 33 laws in its first session and 22 in the second session. Fifteen draft laws are awaiting endorsement by the parliament.

-New Nation