Dhaka, Feb. 7 -- Shops, shopping malls and commercial establishments across Bangladesh are set to be closed for two days, including polling day, as the country gears up for the parliamentary elections.

The Bangladesh Shop Owners' Association said all stores, including those in Dhaka, will be closed on Feb 11 and 12 to allow workers to vote in the election and referendum, bdnews24.com reports.

In a statement, the association said the decision was taken at a joint meeting with the Dhaka Metropolitan Shop Owners' Association, in line with government instructions.

The association's President Md Nazmul Hasan Mahmud said essential shops would be allowed to remain open on Feb 11 and businesses whose staff were registered voters in the same ar...