Rifat Islam
Businesspeople’s hopes of recovery from the loss incurred during the last year’s 66-day general holiday were dashed as a week-long lockdown was imposed on Monday due to coronavirus, depriving them of cashing the sales of Eid-ul-Fitr and Pohela Boishakh.
For the second day in a row, traders from New Market, Gauchia, Hawkers Market, Elephant Road, Mirpur and Islampur in Old Dhaka have staged demonstrations, rallies and formed human chains in protest against the lockdown.
They demanded that the shops should be allowed to operate for at least four hours a day.
Leaders of the Newmarket Businessmen's Association said during a protest rally in front of the main gate of Newmarket in the afternoon that the government has given concessions in some sectors.
Only shopping malls and shops have announced full closure without alternative arrangements. If the markets were open for at least four hours daily, the salaries and allowances of the shop employees could be paid.
Traders from Urdu Road shopping area said they do wholesale business of local garments. Retailers buy products from them and sell across the country. Their brisk business usually starts before Ramadan. Lockdown at this time is not acceptable in anyway. They urged Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to reconsider the restrictions so that they can do business by keeping their shops open in compliance with the health rules.
Traders say they have suffered huge losses since the businesses were shut down for a long time at the start of the coronavirus outbreak last year. They have not yet recovered from that loss.
Earlier on Sunday, the government announced a seven-day lockdown. This has come into effect from 6:00 am on April 5. It will continue till midnight on April 11.
The circular issued by the cabinet division of the government said that hotels and restaurants will remain open. But customers can't sit there but takeaways are allowed.
“This could lead to a collapse in the restaurant business. Sales could be reduced by 70-80 per cent. Even if hotels are kept open to a limited extent, the operating cost including the salary of the employees will not be recovered,” said Shakil Ahmed, a restaurant owner of Agamasi Lane of Old Dhaka.
However, the government has said products can be sold online and many e-businesses have been booming for last two years.
According to the Bangladesh Shop Owners Association, the number of shops in the capital are about four and a half lakh. Only a handful of companies have the capability to sell products online.
Bangladesh Shop Owners Association President Helal Uddin said, "If the book fair is kept open, why the shops cannot operate for a few hours a day. I have tried to communicate with different quarters of the government to keep the shops open for two to three hours a day for last two days, but I failed.”
“Last year there was no sale on the Boishakh and two Eids. For that we struggled a lot just to manage avoid losing our capital. This time it will be tough,” Helal added.
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