Shop owners and retail traders went out on demonstrations against the imposition of lockdown for the second day at places in Dhaka and Chattogram on Tuesday.
They asked the government to allow them to keep shops open for a certain period during the lockdown.
The government enforced a countrywide lockdown for a week from Monday and asked the traders and shopping mall owners to keep their shops closed except medicine shops, super shops and kitchen markets.
Traders gathered in the New Market area till 1:00 pm asking the government to let their businesses run during the lockdown. They chanted slogans against the lockdown calling on the government to allow them to open their shops maintaining health guidelines.
They also expressed worries about their future for this sudden lockdown.
The owners and workers of shops in the Mirpur area also took to the street on the day, protesting against the government’s decision to keep closed all shopping malls and markets for a week to curb the new wave of COVID-19 infections.
Shop owners and employees demanded that the authorities should cancel the lockdown or at least allow them to continue their businesses for a specific time.
“The Amar Ekushey Book Fair and grocery shops in the capital remain open despite the lockdown, but we cannot open our shops. This is discrimination. We want to follow the health guidelines,” Rubel Ahmed, a shop owner told the Business Post.
“We already missed business scope during past two Eids. We do not want it again. We want to continue this peaceful protest for the next day as well, “he added.
Another trader said that he took a loan for business but now was unable to repay as the shops remain closed. He also asked the government to set a specific time to open their shops.
“We pay tax. but I never got any help from the government. We need to open the shops for our survival,” said Anwar Hossain Sajib, a crockery shop owner.
“I have to pay house rent and shop rent every month. If I cannot do any business then how will I pay those rents,” he added.
“We understand the risk of the coronavirus infection but we are really helpless in the present condition,” said Anwar Hossain.
Protests against lockdown also took place at Siddhirganj in Narayanganj. Traders rallied in front of Haji Ahsanullah Super Market at Simrail around 11:00 am.
Protesters at the area said that they were having a very hard time and called on the Prime Minister to consider their demands.
Mobile courts were also in function at places in Dhaka to ensure enforcement of lockdown and the health guidelines.
A mobile court led by executive magistrate Md Yasir Arafat realised Tk 47,300 in fine in the Mirpur area of Dhaka on Tuesday.
Thirteen cases were filed at that time for violating health guidelines and opening shops. During the drive, law enforcement agencies also distributed masks among people to contain the spread of the virus.
nh/aj
