RMG workers in large number from different parts of the country today continued returning to the capital Dhaka and its suburbs, signaling a danger mark to deepen novel coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis pandemic.
“It would be a big blow for the nation,” an expert says.
Since Wednesday noon thousands of people mostly RMG workers were seen crossing the river Padma through Paturia-Dulatdiae Kathalbari-Shimulia and other ferry routes to reach their respective workplaces in capital Dhaka, Gazipur, Savar and other adjacent places.
Besides, the RMG workers were also seen thronging the capital and its suburbs like Gazipur and Savar through Dhaka-Mymensignh, Dhaka-Sylhet, Dhaka-Chattrogram and other highways.
Mawa river police outpost in-charge Sirajul Islam said hundreds of workers started returning to the capital by ferries and trawlers as many garment factories have opened.
People started crossing the river since the morning and most of them are garment workers, he added.
Police cannot stop them entering the capital for works, he said adding that, it is so much difficult to maintain health safety or social distancing here as garment workers are rushing in ferries and trawlers.
World Bank former lead economist Dr Zahid Hussain told The Bangladesh Post, “If Bangladesh wants to come out of lockdown, it first needs a better estimate of detected infected persons. For that it needs to ramp up testing, but the current rate of testing is too small to reach a credible number.”
He said, “It is so much difficult to ensure health safety or social distancing in RMG’s factories.”
“If proper health protection of workers cannot be ensured there, then we will fall in a serious trouble. It will create a chance to spread this virus in community level,” Hussain mentioned.
He said the economy is under a serious strain due to the shutdown, but there is no chance to compromise with people’s lives to save the economy.
He said, “Some countries have reopened their factories by testing their employees and maintained necessary health protocols. Even Singapore has again stopped factories after the reopening within a week.”
“The country’s GDP growth will fall if we continue the shutdown for one more month. But people’s lives and health security are more important than the GDP growth. We shouldn’t comprise lives for livelihoods”, he added.
A RMG worker, Khajida Khatun, said, “I heard that garment factories have opened. So, I went out from home to attend the job. I do not know how I will reach Gazipur. But I have to reach.”
Another RMG worker Rafiqul Islam, who was returning to Dhaka from Faridpur, said, “Factories opened a few days back. I will lose my job if I cannot reach my factory. So, I started to go Dhaka.”
President of Sammilito Garment Sramik Federation Nazma Akter said, “I am not satisfied with the health safety and social distancing measures taken by the factories.”
Some factories are maintaining the health safety measures while many are not, she observed.
RMG workers leader Moshrefa Mishu said that this is obviously an inhuman activity to return workers to the capital for their jobs amid coronavirus outbreak.
“This will risk lives of city dwellers as well,” she added.
However, Bangladesh on Thursday reported five more deaths from the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) overnight, increasing the death toll from the pandemic to 168 and recorded 564 fresh positive cases, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The tally of infections has soared to 7,667 in the same period after another 564 people tested positive for COVID-19 from 4965 samples.
