NEW YEAR, NEW HOPE

The flower industry has particularly been hit hard by the global coronavirus pandemic, which reared its ugliest head at a time when blooms tend to be in demand. All the major sales occasions for this year have been missed -- save for the New Year’s Day. But the looming second wave of Covid-19 cases means the celebrations are muted this time, adding to the sector’s woes. For instance, Dhaka’s Shahbagh Flower Market, which is typically buzzing with customers on the last day of the year, saw a thin crowd this time. While the flower shops have been able to get by with the rock-bottom sales, it is the root-level farmers who have been worst hit due to the perishable nature of flowers. The photos were taken on Thursday.