Shop owners on Saturday urged the government to let them operate their businesses at least four hours a day during the lockdown.
The government has already imposed a seven-day nationwide lockdown from Monday to stem the spread of coronavirus, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said in a media briefing at his residence on Saturday.
After the announcement, Md Helal Uddin, President of the Bangladesh Dokan Malik Samity, told The Business Post over phone that they were going to discuss with the government to give them an opportunity to operate their business for four hours a day during the lockdown.
“I have discussed with the State Minister for Public Administration and the Cabinet Secretary to allow us for four hours. I hope they will consider it’’, said Helal Uddin.
Bangladesh recorded 5.683 new coronavirus cases on Saturday. It was the fifth consecuetive days that the country reported more than 5,000 cases on a single day.
The government on March 29 issued 18-point directives, including running all offices and factories with half of the manpower to contain the spread of novel coronavirus in the country.
On April 1, the civil aviation authorities banned the entry of passengers from all European nations, except the UK, and 12 other countries, to Bangladesh from April 3.
mr/wi/am
