BUSINESS leaders have demanded separate guidelines for private sector business as a news report said on Wednesday for their businesses operating in many red zone areas that the government has announced at 136 areas in 15 districts. The idea of red zones was initiated almost two weeks ago for quick prevention and containing of coronavirus in hotspot areas where a surge in infection cases and deaths made strict lockout essential. But its official order came much delayed and the business leaders demand for separate guidelines suggests a lack of coordination as to how they would operate in areas where they have factories and offices.
Businesses see ambiguity and confusion as to what they can do and what not in the red zone areas. Under the long lockdown, essential workers and employees were allowed to go to factories and export oriented activities were allowed to continue. Under the red zone areas only emergency services are allowed entry that should mean shops and other businesses must discontinued. But mismanagement is part of life under a mismanaged government.
If the business people are looking for guidelines they must move actively to have them. They have to rely on self-help when the government is no help.
Two week ago the two Dhaka City Corporations Mayors complained of lack of coordination by respective government authorities in implementing red zones in city areas. They were not given guidelines on how to implement it and no area maps on where to put barricades.
The people have seen that the government has abandoned the lockdown before giving it a chance to get the result. Now the government equally seems in disarray to implement the red zones where infections are more widespread.
We would ask the businessmen and the city corporation to be active in securing guidelines from the government in consultation with expert teams. Doing nothing cannot be an option.
