Fitness clubs or gyms in Dhaka are still coping with the Covid-19 post lockdown with losses and debts mounting by the month due to rent issues.
Several gymnasium owners have expressed concern regarding the low turnout at the gyms.
Most of the clubs are operating in shifts or batches. Once opened, gym equipment is carefully disinfected. Some clubs disinfect equipment at least thrice a day, and some every two to three hours, according to the owners. At the same time, gym-goers themselves disinfect equipment before use.
However, due to the global pandemic, most gyms have had to dispense with the services of a chunk of their staff. As a result, with limited staff it has become difficult to disinfect equipment after a single use.
Rakibul Islam Prince, owner of Bangladesh Gym in Mirpur, said gyms were yet struggling to cope with the post-Covid-19 lockdown.
“My six branches across Dhaka city have lost around Tk25 lakh only by paying rent for the facilities as we had to shut our gyms for four months [April-July],” he said.
He added: “We still have low attendance [30%] as many of our members, including students, are staying in their hometowns due to the closure of educational institutions.”
Each branch of Bangladesh Gym has now one trainer and one member of staff where there used to be five to six persons. The numbers have been cut down since the gym could not afford their salaries, continued Prince.
Enamul Alam, owner of Gulshan Fitness, said his gymnasium was getting only 10-20% members compared to conditions in pre-lockdown times.
He reopened one branch in Uttara and another in Gulshan, maintaining social distancing where he disinfects equipment after being used once, he said.
Quoting members of his gym, he said they would resume workout after vaccines for Covid-19 are made available, Enamul added.
He had to pay regular rent of Tk4,50,000 for a 7,500-sq ft facility each month, despite the gym’s remaining closed between April and July.
Faisal Rahman, owner of Dhaka Gym located near Tejkunipara, said he tried to disinfect the equipment several times a day to ensure safety.
“I continued giving salaries, by paying at least half, to five of my staff despite having no income from April to July,” Faisal added.
Md Atikur Rahman, owner of Fitness One in Tongi under Gazipur district, said that the club was coming around from the worst situation since August and had made some revenue.
“Our club is getting 60% of its attendance on a regular basis,” said Atikur.
For a 2,300-sq ft floor he pays Tk30,000 rent every month.
He said: “The rest of the members have become financially weak since they cannot afford gym expenses as well as food costs at present.”
Sumon Das, owner of Flex Fitness at Green Road in Dhanmondi, reopened his gym in the beginning of June.
He said: “I meant to start with 10 people in each batch. But I got a maximum of eight people in June, which went up to 14 in July, and as many as 25 people in August.”
Flex Fitness is situated at a 2,200-sq ft facility, and Sumon has had to cough up Tk80,000 per month as rent.
He said the gym owners would press the government for financial aid and assistance in order for them to cope with their difficult situation.
Altaf Hossen Ronnie, founding convener of Dhaka Gym Owners' Association, said the fitness clubs in Dhaka division were shut down in the middle of March and resumed in June.
“Although we followed hygiene norms, only one-third of the members are coming now, which gets us into trouble while managing the gym-floor rent,” said Ronnie, who is also the owner of A&M Fitness in Rampura.
“None of us were prepared for this unfortunate situation. Therefore, the goal of our organization is to organize the gym owners together to protect the interests of our gym businesses, as well as tackle a similar undesirable situation in the future,” he added.
Stakeholders have said just when the gymnasium businesses were gaining popularity in the country and becoming profitable enterprises, Covid-19 pandemic hit the industry hard.