Coronavirus: Sylhet shopping malls, markets will be shut until Eid

Leaders of business organisations in Sylhet City Corporation (SCC) on Friday decided not to open shopping malls and markets before Eid-ul-Fitr.

The meeting presided over by SCC Mayor Ariful Haque Chowdhury, took the decision considering the health risk of the city people.

The decision was taken as the number of coronavirus patents have been increasing, local businessmen said.

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

"It's a big message to the government," said Sylhet Chambers of Commerce's President Abu Taher Md Shoeb adding that life comes first.

All shops selling non-essential items will be shut until Eid, he added.

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

Meanwhile, the government on Tuesday allowed businessmen 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.

Earlier on Monday, the Cabinet Division decided to allow shops and malls to operate on a limited scale from 10am to 4pm from May 10.

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

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

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.