Sylhet shopping malls, markets to remain shut until Eid

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Business leaders in Sylhet city and owners of 11 markets in Chattogram city on Friday decided not to open their businesses before Eid-ul-Fitr, reports UNB.

In Sylhet, the decision was taken at a meeting attended by local business leaders, presided over by Sylhet city corporation (SCC) mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury as the number of coronavirus patients have been increasing.

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

"It's a message to the government,” said Sylhet Chambers of Commerce’s president Abu Taher Md Shoeb.

In Chattogram, 11 shop owners decide to keep their business shut until 31 May in the city.

All shops selling non-essential items will remain shut, he added.

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

In Chattogram, 11 shop owners decide to keep their business shut until 31 May in the city, says the news agency.

They took this decision at a meeting at Mimi Super Market attended by business leaders of the respective markets.

The markets to be closed until 31 May are—Sanmar Ocean City, Chittagong Shopping Complex, Finle Square Shop, Central Plaza, Amin Center, Afmi Plaza, Akhtaruzzaman Centre, Singapore-Bangkok Market, Kollol Super Market, and Mimi Super Market.

The government on Tuesday allowed businessmen to keep shops and shopping malls open for six hours from 10:00am to 4:00pm every day from 10 May, after maintaining health guidelines during the general holidays.

Earlier on Monday, the cabinet division decided to allow shops and malls to operate on a limited scale from 10:00am to 4:00pm from 10 May.

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

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

Health minister Zahid Maleque on Tuesday said it can be presumed that the infection rate will go up to some extent with the reopening of garment factories, shops and markets.

Meanwhile, health experts also warned that the reopening of shops and shopping malls ahead of Eid will lead to a rise in coronavirus cases.

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