Crowd in shopping malls, no social distance, health hygiene

On Tuesday, the 14th day of the ongoing lockdown and the third day after shopping malls and stores opened, crowds of people were seen flooding the shopping malls in the capital but neither buyers nor sellers paid heed to social distancing and health hygiene rules to prevent Covid-19 infection.

Since the morning, customers were present in the shopping malls and pavement shops and their numbers multiplied after noon.

The pavement shops in the New Market area were packed with customers and rows of people were entering through the gates of Chandni Chawk, Gaosia, Nurjahan Market. People have to cross the narrow alley by pushing each other frequently. Many customers, without wearing masks, were seen roaming around on the sidewalk shops. The shopkeepers did not use masks too.

Tahmina Begum came to New Market with her daughter to shop for her daughter on the occasion of Eid.

"I could not come to market for a long time as those were closed for a long time. I fear that markets can be closed again. So, I came today. I am aware of the risks of being infected but I have to buy some necessary items," she said.

The situation was the same in Chandni Chawk Market. There was a huge crowd of Chandni Chawk Market-bound customers on the foot over bridge.

Asad Ullah, a salesman at the market, said he opened the shop at 9am and the number of customers is higher than what it was yesterday. I wear a mask most of the time but when a customer comes it is not possible to maintain a distance of three feet.

Farooq Ahmed, a shopkeeper on the sidewalk in front of Chandni Chawk, said he experienced a huge loss last year. He hoped he would recover the losses this year but the markets were closed during several festivals.

"We are poor. We work hard. We have God who will help us. Even if we have Covid-19, we can do nothing. We have to do business for our survival," he added.

Meanwhile, Bashundhara Shopping Mall also saw a growing crowd at noon. Private university student Tania Akbar has come to shop.

At Bashundhara Shopping Mall, Tania Akber was one of the many customers who came for shopping before Eid. She said she could not shop for a long time as everything was closed.

She thinks the crowd in the markets will increase before Eid and it will be difficult to maintain social distance and health hygiene then. That's why she has decided to complete the shopping now.

He said he could not shop for a long time because of Corona. Eid ahead, so I'm forced. If the shops are closed and more severe lockdowns are given, then Tothan will not be able to come. Moreover, there may be more crowds a few days before Eid, so I have come to shop earlier.

In this regard, Nizam Uddin, the president of Chandni Chawk Shop Owners Association, said, "We are trying our best to abide by the health rules. If the market is always open like before, the sales will increase and the crowd will decrease a lot because not everyone will come at the same time.

THE STREETS OF THE CAPITAL WERE QUITE CROWDED

The crowd on the road has increased more on Tuesday. Although public transport was not introduced, there were many private cars, CNG auto-rickshaws, rickshaws, etc. Even traffic jams were also noticed in Karwan Bazar, Panthapath Signal, Shahbagh, Science lab junction and other places in the capital.

Checking the movement pass on the road was noticed anywhere. Law enforcement check posts have also been lifted.