Markets to Reopen Before Eid-ul-Fitr: PM

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Monday said the government has decided to reopen markets before Eid-ul-Fitr to keep country's economy running ensuring the health safety.

''District-based cottage and small enterprises will also be reopened and instruction has been given in this regard'', the premier made the remarks during a videoconference with the public representatives and officials of eight districts in Rangpur division on the present coronavirus situation of the country.

The government is considering extending the ongoing general holidays until May 15 to contain the spread of coronavirus, she added.

The videoconference started at 10am on Monday at the prime minister’s official Ganabhaban residence, and the public representatives and officials of the eight districts of Rangpur division are connected to it.

The districts are: Panchagarh, Thakurgaon, Dinajpur, Nilphamari, Lalmonirhat, Kurigram, Rangpur and Gaibandha.

Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar and private TV channels and radio stations are broadcasting the videoconference live.

Earlier, Sheikh Hasina exchanged views with the public representatives and officials of 56 districts of Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna, Rajshahi, Sylhet, Barishal and Mymensingh divisions in six phases via videoconferences on the current coronavirus situation.

During the videoconferences, the prime minister announced various stimulus packages and steps to offset the COVID-19 fallouts as well as gave different directives to the elected public representatives and officials to contain the deadly disease.

The lethal virus till today claimed 177 lives and infected 9,455 people in Bangladesh since the country first reported COVID-19 positive cases on March 8.

Globally, nearly 35 lakh people have been reported to be infected by the novel coronavirus and 244,874 have died in more than 212 countries and territories since the first cases were detected in China in December 2019.

Source: UNB