All shops, commercial establishments, and shopping malls across the country, including those in Dhaka, will remain closed on February 11 and 12 in observance of the upcoming 13th National Parliamentary Election, as decided by the Shop Owners’ Association. The announcement was made in a press release signed by the association’s president, Md. Nazmul Hasan Mahmud. According to the statement, the parliamentary election and a referendum will take place on February 12, and to facilitate the smooth exercise of voting rights, the decision has been taken to keep all shops, commercial centers, and shopping malls closed on February 11 and 12 in line with the government’s directives. The decision was adopted at a joint meeting of the standing committees of the Bangladesh Shop Owners’ Association and the Dhaka Metropolitan Shop Owners’ Association. Leaders of the associations said the step was taken to ease security and administrative arrangements around the election, reduce traffic congestion and public crowding, and ensure that voters can travel to polling stations without disruption. As a result, shopping malls and retail outlets in the capital and other major cities will suspend operations for two days, after which normal commercial activities will resume following the completion of the election process. Business leaders acknowledged that although commercial operations will be temporarily halted, the decision is necessary in the national interest to support the smooth conduct of the election. They also advised customers to complete essential shopping in advance to avoid inconvenience during the closure period. With government holidays and various administrative measures surrounding the election, several sectors are experiencing temporary changes in operations during this period, and the closure of shops and shopping malls is part of those arrangements.