Reza Mahmud :
Public health experts warned of serious consequence in reopening shopping malls amid the high rate of coronavirus infection in Bangladesh.
They said the reopening of shopping malls and shops must create high risks of contaminating the virus as the huge rush of customers may violet the social distancing system.
“It is not right time to reopen the shopping malls as the spread of coronavirus is not yet under control in the country,” Professor Nazrul Islam of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University and Member of the ‘National Technical Advisory Committee’ told The New Nation.
He said that Health Minister Zahid Maleque does not support the decision.
He said that the Commerce Ministry should withdraw the decision soon.
Public Health experts said that the people of our country are not so aware to follow the social distancing and other rules and regulations regarding the safety from the virus.
They said during the strict shutdown the law enforcers have found hardship to make the people obey on social distancing across the country.
In this circumstances, it can be sure that the people may not follow the rules and regulations in market places.
They also said that people are used to stay densely in shopping plazas during the Eid shopping.
Dr. Md. Shahed Rafi Pavel, Chairman of Bangladesh
Doctors’ Foundation told The New Nation, “The decision of reopening markets and shopping plazas are not appropriate for this time. It is very early step. The government should reconsider it for the sake of the lives of the common people.”
He said the people of our country found very reluctant of following social distancing even in the strict lockdown period. Then how can we believe that they will follow social distancing in market places during the Eid shopping? So there is danger we can see after reopening markets in this time.
Professor Dr. M. Muzaherul Huq, the former Regional Advisor of World Health Organisation (WHO) told The New Nation, “When the number of coronavirus infection is climbing up, the decision of reopening shopping malls, plazas and markets is dangerously wrong. It may push the whole nation towards a high health risk.”
He said the line of infections in the graph is in upward and the government has not followed the six point guidelines of World Health Organisation (WHO) to lift or relax the lockdown yet.
The Commerce Ministry issued a statement on Tuesday (May 5) informing the decision to reopen the markets.
The statement said businessmen will be allowed to keep shops and shopping malls open for six hours from 10am to 4pm every day from May 10, after maintaining health guidelines during the general holidays.
It said that the decision comes considering the month of Ramzan and the upcoming Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest festival of Muslims.
On the other hand, they said the government scheduled a time-frame from 10 am to 4 pm for opening the markets so that the rush may not be high.
