Kitchen markets may accelerate coronavirus transmission

Although the government has allowed kitchen markets to remain open in consideration of people’s needs, these markets have become very risky. Social distancing is not being maintained at these markets, increasing the chances of coronavirus transmission.

People are gathering in the kitchen markets of the five areas that have been declared as clusters of the virus transmission, risking their lives and health.

A total of 2,456 people have been diagnosed with coronavirus across the country as of Sunday. Of these, the capital, Dhaka, Narayanganj, Gazipur, Narsingdi and Chattogram have the highest number of infections- 1677 cases till now. Prothom Alo correspondents have visited 20 markets of these five areas in person, maintaining proper protection rules.

Crowds were seen at the grocery shops, fish and fruit markets at the Shah Ali City Corporation Market, Mirpur-1 yesterday noon. Although separate entrances and exits were set up at the market, no one bothered to follow the rules. Over 10 customers were seen crowing in one store.

Former general secretary of Shah Ali City Corporation Market Atiqur Rahman Chowdhury said, people were not listening to anything. Due to Ramadan, the customers are rushing to the markets for last minute shopping.

The administration has to be stricter to maintain social distance, he added.

The market is under Shah Ali police station. Officer-in-charge (OC) of the police station, Salauddin Mia, told Prothom Alo, thousands of people are coming to Mirpur-1 market every day. It was impossible for the policemen to control them. People do not obey any instructions. Arrangements are being made to make the shops more spacious.

The government has ordered the markets to be shifted to open spaces so social distance could be maintained in order to prevent the spread of COVID-19. On 12 April, the local government division issued a letter to all the deputy commissioners, zila parishad and upazila parishad chairmen, mayors of the municipalities and the chairmen of the union parishads with these directives.

Several vegetables and fish markets of the capital were shifted to open spaces yesterday. The fish market at Kalyanpur Notun Bazar is narrow. The vegetable market is not wide either. The fish and vegetable vendors were brought to the pavement of the main road outside the market yesterday.

Abul Hashem, general secretary of Kalyanpur Notun Bazar Shop Owners Association, said that fish and vegetables vendors were brought to the pavement of the main road after consulting everyone. It will ensure some social distance.

In Karwan Bazar, neither the buyers nor the sellers are maintaining social distance. Abdul Mannan, general secretary of the Karwan Bazar kitchen market traders' association, told Prothom Alo that they had asked vendors to use masks and gloves.

Various types of vegetables, including fruits, are sold on the two sides of the main road of Shanir Akhra. People and rickshaws create a gridlock in the area and are least concerned about social distance.

Former chief scientific officer of the government's Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), Mushtaq Hossain, said, economic activities should be run with the public health in mind.

“Right now the urgency is to ensure social distance. This is something that buyers and sellers have to obey. The law enforcement agencies and the city corporation should take care of that. The risk of infection will increase if the markets do not to comply with the rules of maintaining social distance,” he added.

Administration slack in Narayanganj market

Narayanganj is the most coronavirus affected area after Dhaka. The markets here are also being run without social distance. It is the same in Digubabur Bazar, Kalir Bazar, Ghat No. 5 fish market, Khanpur Bou Bazar and Fatullah Bazar.

Vegetables are supplied to the city and the surrounding areas from Digubabur market. In this market, the Rapid Action Battalion (RAB-1) made one-way entry and social distance circles, but people don’t maintain that. Narayanganj superintendent of police (SP) Zaidul Alam said, the law enforcers were on the alert, but everyone has to be more conscious.

Gazipur markets

Gazipur ranks next after Narayanganj and Dhaka in terms of coronavirus infection. The entire district lockdown was announced on 11 April to counter the situation. But people are shopping in local markets paying no heed to social distance.

Deputy commissioner SM Toriqul Islam said the mobile court was conducting drives daily. The court filed cases against 18 people and fined with them Tk 19,900 for violating rules on Saturday.

People complacent in Narsingdi markets

People are highly complacent although the infection in the districts has increased at an alarming rate. People were seen shopping in crowds in almost all the markets including Borobazar, Battala Bazar, Shikkhachattar Bazar and Bhelanagar Bazar.

District Corona Prevention Emergency Cell chief and additional deputy commissioner Imrul Quayes said people were coming out despite requests from the administration and law enforcement agencies.

Crowds in Chattogram markets

There are thousands of buyers in the Chattogram city markets. The city corporation has decided to relocate kitchen markets to open places including the city's Outer Stadium. In order to ensure social distance, a committee under the health department was formed in Chattogram under the supervision of city mayor AJM Nasir Uddin.

Mayor Nasir Uddin said a kitchen market has been moved to the parade grounds to avoid crowds, but to no avail.