Prime Minister Tarique Rahman on Thursday switched off half the lights at his Secretariat office and lowered the air-conditioner use, urging all government offices and institutions to be more frugal in electricity use.

Prime Minister’s Additional Press Secretary Atikur Rahman Rumon said Tarique Rahman took the initiative shortly after he arrived at his office in the morning.

“The Prime Minister reached his office at around 9:10am. After entering the room, he switched off about 50 per cent of the lights and adjusted the air-conditioner to 25.1 degrees Celsius to reduce electricity consumption,” he said.

Rumon also said the Prime Minister asked officials to switch off half the lights and lower the air-conditioning level when he entered the Cabinet meeting room.

The Prime Minister’s Office is located in Building No. 1 of Secretariat which houses several departments under the Prime Minister as well as the Cabinet Division.

Following the Prime Minister’s initiative, lights were immediately reduced and air-conditioner settings lowered in other rooms of his office.

He said the Prime Minister also called upon all ministries, government offices across the country,m as well as private institutions, shopping centres and commercial establishments to use electricity more efficiently and frugally.

The Prime Minister also urged people across the country to reduce the use of artificial lighting during the day and make better use of natural sunlight by opening curtains and windows at offices and homes, Rumon added.

He said the Prime Minister has asked the Power and Energy Minister to take proper steps to ensure the efficient use of electricity and to seek expert opinions on what further measures can be taken.

The Prime Minister took the initiative amid rising fuel prices and growing concerns about the supply of petroleum fuel and natural gas — the two main sources used to generate electricity in the country — due to the ongoing conflict in the Gulf region, which has spread to the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most important routes for energy shipments.

Bangladesh, which already faces energy shortages, depends heavily on the Gulf region for its primary energy supply.

The country imports most of its petroleum fuel, liquefied natural gas (LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) either directly or indirectly from the region.