Editorial: Extension of shutdown a good decision
The decision of the authorities to extend the country-wide shutdown for another week is a commendable one, and we express our full support for this timely pronouncement. It has been almost a month since the first case of coronavirus was detected in Bangladesh, and it is crucial that we enforce social distancing during this time to ensure that community transmission does not occur on a large scale. However, this will only be possible if a lockdown is enforced on the strictest possible terms. The gravity of the situation must be communicated to the general population. In this case, the government should have taken a step further and announced these few weeks as a "lockdown"—instead of a "general holiday". Using the latter term is bound to give the wrong impression, as we have seen from the crowds who left the cities to go home as soon as it was announced. But there is still time for the authorities to clarify that these measures are being implemented in order to avert a national crisis.
While we understand that an extension of the shutdown is crucial at this moment, we also worry about its impact on the vulnerable groups in our society, who are already facing financial hardship and food shortages. A report in this daily shed light on the plight of children living on the streets of the capital, many of whom beg or sell flowers and tidbits to get by, and are now struggling to find food. Multiple reports have also focused on the serious impacts of this shutdown on workers from the informal sector, particularly day labourers and rickshaw-pullers. Slum-dwellers, who are already at risk due to their cramped living spaces and lack of access to proper sanitation and hygiene facilities, now face the added risk of losing their sources of income. What will be done for them?
Although police and public administration have started distribution of food assistance in certain areas, and many NGOs, organisations and even private individuals have come forward to try and fill these gaps and provide assistance to the needy, these efforts are not adequate. We need the government to put forward a concrete plan for these vulnerable groups for the coming weeks that will not only provide food support but ensure financial help as well. We must ensure there is a safety net for those who are likely to be most adversely affected, and ensure that they do not slip through the cracks and fall into even further hardships during these difficult times.
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