Government allows markets to reopen from May 10
The government on Monday announced the reopening of shopping malls and markets under some conditions for sales from May 10 amid the spiralling cases of COVID-19 infection and deaths in the country and during the nationwide shutdown.
The commerce ministry in a press release in the evening said that on the occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr, government would allow shops to reopen from 10:00am to 4:00pm under some conditions.
Hours earlier, the Cabinet Division in a circular relaxed the shutdown soon after the prime minister Sheikh Hasina said in a video conference from her Ganabhaban office with public representatives and officials of Rangpur division that shops and markets would reopen so that the people did not face any problem to have iftar and sehri and they could go shopping ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.
According to the circular, the owners could reopen their shops ensuring heath measures, including maintenance of social distancing and facilities for hand-washing and disinfections ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr, the largest religious festival of Muslims.
The government disclosed the decision immediately after extending the ongoing general holiday till May 16 from May 6.
Helal Uddin, president of Bangladesh Dokan Malik Samity told New Age that they would suggest shop owners to reopen the shops of only those who could maintain the health safety measures.
‘I urge shop owners to open shops only after ensuring their safety as well as that of the customers,’ he said.
The government last week allowed reopening of the apparel factories on condition of ensuring health safety of the workers, which is being flouted by most factories in the industrial belts amid the outbreak of COVID-19 that claimed 182 lives and infected over 10,000 people in the country so far.
On March 22, Bangladesh Shop Owners’ Association announced the closure of all markets and shopping malls across the country for the first time from March 25 and they extended it until next directive to prevent the spread of coronavirus infection in the country.
The general holiday that began on March 26 has now been extended till March 16 from May 6 for the fifth time. Movement of all modes of public transport has remained suspended during the shutdown.
News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net
