Virus Curbs on Shops: Shop owners take to streets
Shop owners and employees of New Market, Bashundhara City Shopping Mall and Sadarghat areas in Dhaka took to the streets to protest the government's decision to keep all shops and malls closed during the seven-day restriction to contain Covid-19 surge.
Rajshahi Byabshayee Oikya Parishad, a platform of 110 businesses, also protested the government's move.
All the groups demanded that the government allow traders to keep their shops open while maintaining health guidelines.
The seven-day restriction is set to be enforced from 6:00am today.
Several hundred shop owners and employees of New Market and nearby markets and shopping malls blocked adjacent roads for two hours from 3:30pm in protest at the directive.
Witnesses said the protesters smashed windows of several cars while road closures caused severe traffic congestion.
"Our main demand is to keep the market open for a few hours because our families depend on our income. If the shops are closed, that would bring on uncertainty in our lives. We want to keep the shops running while maintaining safety guidelines," said Sohel Rana, an employee of a shop at New Market.
Protesters said they had suffered a lot due to last year's closure. They do not want any repetition.
RM Faizur Rahman, additional deputy police commissioner of Dhanmondi Zone, said they convinced the protesters that the government took this decision considering public welfare amid a pandemic.
"They understood and withdrew their blockade," he added.
Employees of Bashundhara City Shopping Mall in Panthapath area also protested the government move. They formed a human chain and brought out a procession on the road in front of the market at 4:00pm.
Mohammad Shah Alam, Tejgaon police officer-in-charge (investigation), said a group of employees of Bashundhara mall formed a human chain near Saarc Foundation.
"They left the place when police went there," he added.
Readymade garment businessmen in Sadarghat area also held protest demanding that they be allowed to keep markets open.
They formed a human chain for about an hour at in front of East Bengal Market, said Abdul Aziz, a shop owner of the market.
Rajshahi Byabshayee Oikya Parishad placed their demand at a press briefing at ARD Market in the city yesterday.
Terming the month of Ramadan "the peak season for business", Farid Mamud Hasan, general secretary of the Parishad, said small traders will not be able to withstand losses if their shops remain closed before the month begins.
During last year's lockdown, they did not receive any financial assistance from the government. Some big industries, however, received assistance, he claimed.
"We want to continue our regular business while maintaining the health rules," he said, adding that they do not want to face any harassment.
Shop owners of different markets in the capital, including Shah Ali Shopping Complex in Mirpur 10, Muktijhodhda Market in Mirpur 1, Karwanbazar Supermarket, while talking to The Daily Star yesterday, demanded that the government find a way to keep the shops open for at least some hours.
"We faced severe losses last year. We are yet to make up for the losses. So, this lockdown will bring about a catastrophic situation for us," said Nur Alam, owner of Shoe Mart at Shah Ali Shopping Complex.
Shamsul Alam Bulbul, former president of Karwanbazar Supermarket Business Association, said each and every shop owner had bought goods worth several lakh takas keeping Ramadan in mind.
"They took loans to buy products eyeing good business [in the month of Ramadan]. If they are not able to sell, they will incur even bigger losses. They will also need to repay the loans. As a whole, they will be in a huge crisis," he said.
Bangladesh Dokan Malik Samity President Helal Uddin said closing down the shops while keeping the book fair and other things open is a "double standard" decision.
"We are in talks with the government on what can be done in favour of small traders and shop owners," he added.
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