Coronavirus: Sylhet Shopping Malls, Markets Will Be Shut until Eid

Leaders of business organizations in Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) decided on Friday not to open shopping malls and markets before Eid-ul-Fitr.

The meeting, chaired by SCC Mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury, took a decision on the health risks of the city's inhabitants.

The decision was taken as the number of coronavirus patents have been increasing, local businessmen said.

Everybody agreed to keep their shops shut until Eid-ul-Fitr, they added.

"It's a big message to the government,” said Sylhet Chambers of Commerce’s President Abu Taher Md Shoeb adding that life comes first.

All shops selling non-essential items will be shut until Eid, he added.

Earlier on Thursday, Noyasarak Businessmen Samity in the city also decided to keep their business shut until Eid.

While, on Tuesday, the government allowed businessmen to keep shops and shopping malls open every day from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on May 10, despite enforcing safety rules on public holidays.

Earlier on Monday, the Cabinet Division agreed to require shops and malls to work on a reduced scale from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. on May 10.

After the government’s announcement, shop owners started preparing their business to keep it open in the capital along with other metropolitan cities.

Amid the surging new coronavirus cases, the government extended general holidays until May 16.

The government on Tuesday also decided to keep shut all the educational institutions in Bangladesh until May 30.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque said on Tuesday that it can be expected that the risk of infection will rise to some extent with the reopening of garment factories, shops and markets.

Health experts have cautioned that the reopening of shops and shopping malls ahead of Eid will contribute to an rise in coronavirus cases.

Bangladesh has so far confirmed 13,134 coronavirus cases and 206 deaths.

Source: UNB