Defying the government’s declaration of shutting down all the institutions, shops and markets, many shops were found open during the ongoing lockdown. Upon traveling around the city yesterday. when shops besides the main roads were found obeying the instructions of the administrations, many shops, however, remained open. When asked why he remained open his shop, a hardware shop owner in Farmgate area Hafizul Islam said, “I will close down it within a few moments. I have four children. Through this shop, I earn my livelihood. If such situation continues common people like us would not be able to live anymore,”
Hafizul expressed frustration by saying “I have to pay my shop rent next week; how would I feed my children”. Another telecom shop owner in Mohammadpur area Titu Mia said, “Sir If I don’t open my shop, who would come to feed me? Social distancing is aristocracy for us”.
Last day a rich man came in front of my shop and gave me a bag of grocery for two days, he added. He also mentioned that, people like him who are mostly dependent on their daily earning can’t survive in this situation if they don’t open their shops. Besides, many traders opened their shops defying the order for earning their livelihood.
Hitherto, Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) and health experts and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina urged the people to maintain the social distancing to contain the spread of coronavirus. Earlier, Bangladesh Dokan Malik Samity decided to close down all shopping complexes and malls from March 25 to 31 across the country over the Covid-19 pandemic sweeping all over the world.
President of the samity Helal Uddin told The Bangladesh Post that, “Kitchen markets, pharmaceuticals, grocery stores and super-shops will remain open. For the owners and the safety of the workers, we have taken this decision.” He also said, “Maybe a few traders are opening their shops, but not all continuing their trade. We have to understand this medical emergency situation.”
Earlier, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has called upon the people not to worry and be ready to face any situation in the wake of the outbreak of coronavirus across the globe. She said it is very much necessary to reach food to the day-laborers and working-class people during the crisis period.
“I’ll tell all that they shouldn’t worry, rather they’ll have to remain prepared for tackling any situation that has risen due to the outbreak of the novel coronavirus,” she said while receiving donation for her relief and welfare fund from various government and private organizations through videoconferencing from her official Ganabhaban residence on Sunday afternoon.
Sheikh Hasina added: “We’ve to take measures in such a way that we can protect every person of the country (from the deadly disease).”
The government’s announcement of a general holiday for ten days has put low-income people in a stalemate. About 10 million mobile subscribers left the capital after the government declared a 10-day general holidays to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the country from March 26 according to National Telecom Monitoring Centre (NTMC).
