Bangladesh: Markets, shopping malls reopened amid COVID-19 surge

Markets and shopping malls in Dhaka and elsewhere in Bangladesh reopened on Friday, after remaining shut for four days due to the increasing trend of COVID-19 infections and casualties.

Traders opened their shop after the government in an order on Thursday allowed them to reopen markets maintaining strict health guidelines.

On Wednesday, the government allowed public transports on roads in cities.

In a circular issued on Thursday by the Cabinet Division said that shops and shopping malls could be kept open from 9:00am to 5:00pm from Friday until April 13 on the condition of strictly maintaining the health guidelines.

Helal Uddin, president of Bangladesh Dokan Malik Samity, said that shopkeepers were asked to run businesses following government directives.

He said that all the markets of the city were opened in the morning although the markets of Dhaka’s Old part used to shut on Friday.

Imran Hossain, a shop owner at Bashundhara Shopping Complex, said that he had incurred a huge loss for the past four days as sales reduced alarmingly due to the COVID-19 situation.

New Age