Spreading pandemic? What pandemic?

With cases of Covid-19 showing no sign of decline in the country, traders and buyers at Barobabazar goat market in Jhenidah town, like elsewhere in the country, continue to conduct business without maintaining any health measures to prevent the spread of the pandemic.

In their blatant display of disregard toward public safety, they have been swarming in droves at the market, the largest in Jhenidah, two times a week, on Tuesdays and Saturdays. 

Although the number of Covid-19 patients is rising in the town at an alarming rate, not too many townspeople in or outside the market are seen too interested in wearing face masks or maintaining safe physical distance while in public areas.

While visiting the market recently, this correspondent noticed that the majority of the people, who are crowding the place, are either not wearing masks or not using those carefully enough to cover their noses or mouths properly. They also seemed to be least bothered about maintaining safe physical distance from each other.

Concerned locals said such careless public gathering might result in a larger population getting infected by the virus at a faster pace. 

Khokon Hossain, a resident of Barobazar area, said it will be a miracle if the virus does not spread among the local population soon as no one at the goat market is maintaining safe distance or not many of them are wearing masks in accordance with health guidelines.  

"If this situation persists, it [novel coronavirus] will spread [in the locality] overnight. The goat market needs to be relocated to a bigger and spacious location," said Shariful Islam, a grocer at Barobabazar market.

When this correspondent asked Amjad Hossain, a goat trader, about why they were crowding the marketplace, he said, "How much longer can one stay home without any alternative source of income? I borrowed a lot of money with high interest from local moneylenders. So it's a huge risk passing days at home." 

Jhenidah Civil Surgeon Selina Begum confirmed that the virus is spreading rapidly in Jhenidah due to the failure of properly maintaining social distancing guidelines. 

Reached for his comments about the situation at the goat market, Barobazar UP chairman Abul Kalam Azad said they were working on to create Covid-19 awareness among traders and buyers visiting the market, but the response is not very promising. 

Contacted, Kaliganj Upazila Nirbahi Officer Subarna Rani Saha said workers of the administration have been making rounds at nooks and crannies of the upazila and using loud speakers to inform citizens about how to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.