After days of protests, markets allowed to reopen
Nawaz Farhin AntaraGovernment Affairs
After days of protests by traders and businesspeople, the government yesterday finally allowed markets and shopping malls to reopen from Friday, but only for five days amid restrictions to stem the spread of Covid-19.
Malls and stores can operate from 9am to 5pm until April 13 following strict health rules, says a notification issued by the Cabinet Division on Thursday.
It also warned of legal actions in case of violation of hygiene rules.
The instruction comes four days after the lockdown came into effect, as shop owners and their employees in Dhaka and several other places across the country demonstrated since the decision of a lockdown was announced, demanding to keep their shops open.
Bangladesh Dokan Malik Samity president Helal Uddin told the Dhaka Tribune that they welcomed the government's decision to reopen markets and shopping malls, as their lives and livelihoods depended on it.
He pledged that all the members under their association will strictly follow the health directives issued by the government.
"The losses that we suffered so far due to the lockdown have already put our books in the negative, despite our previous goal of recuperating last year's losses ahead of the Pohela Boishakh. We were helpless, and could not afford another repeat like last year," he added.
Virologist Prof Nazrul Islam, also a member of the national technical advisory committee, said that there is definitely a health risk when people visit the shops and/or shopping malls, especially as the infection rate is rising alarmingly fast in the country.
"There may have been a lack of preparation, especially after the government's turnaround decision. Otherwise, why would they issue a closure notice and then ask the markets to reopen for five days?" he further said.
As traders and businesspeople understandably have to earn their livelihoods to feed their families, he strongly advised thorough use of face masks and frequent washing of hands at regular intervals.
“There should be a distance of 5 feet between each buyer and seller. Maintaining the queue and managing shoppers' rush will be key to containing the infection rate. Law enforcement agencies and members of the armed forces should be deployed to monitor the situation if necessary,” he added.
Aleya Haque, an online-based entrepreneur, said that if markets were closed, then people could not go. But if markets reopen, then people will find a reason to visit.
"We may think of doing our best to follow the health directives, but there is a good chance we may return home with the novel virus and risk infecting the rest of our family members," she added.
The government has said that it aims to control unnecessary public movements and gatherings with stronger monitoring by members of law enforcement agencies and thus contain the virus transmission, as the country has been experiencing record-breaking Covid-19 cases for the past few days, the government on Sunday announced a weeklong countrywide lockdown.
However, the shop owners said that the lockdown was announced just before the Pohela Boishakh, a crucial time for doing brisk business, which gathers steam right until Eid-ul-Fitr.
Imposing restrictions and shop closures during the same period caused them to suffer immense losses last year, and they cannot afford another year of losses, sources said.
They expressed their frustrations during the past few days by staging sit-in protests and blockades amid the lockdown, often resulting in clashes with the police.
On Tuesday, readymade garments sellers at the capital's Gulistan area held a demonstration demanding the reopening of their shops maintaining health protocol.
The protesters, under the banner of Cooperative Society for Dhaka Readymade Garments Businessmen, took position in front of Phulbaria Super Market 2 and blocked the road in front of BRTC terminal.
Addressing the protest, the forum’s President Md Abdul Mannan said a tougher movement would be launched if the government does not permit them to reopen their shops.
Later, a chase and counter-chase took place when police tried to remove the blockade from the road around 11am.
Moreover, shop owners and workers of Bashundhara City Shopping mall held a protest at Panthapath, demanding the immediate reopening of shops and markets. They sought the intervention of the prime minister and the city corporation mayor in the issue.
Shop owners and employees at New Market and adjacent shopping malls staged demonstrations for four consecutive days, protesting the closure of shopping malls due to the lockdown.
They demanded that the government allow markets to be open for four hours a day during the shutdown.