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Govt allows shop openings to help traders earn livelihoods: Ehsan


Published : 16 May 2020 07:55 PM | Updated : 06 Sep 2020 09:29 PM

“I earnestly call upon all of our shop owners and salesmen in the city markets to strictly follow the health guidelines, given by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), in a bid to keeping themselves safe as well as customers from devastating pandemic of Corona Virus”, said Towfique Ehsan, President, Dhaka City Unit, Bangladesh Shop Owners Association.

He said the government has given opportunity to open limited number of shops mainly aiming to  reactivate the ways of livelihoods of traders and their employees, but if we fail to maintain guideline then it will create adverse impact so seriously. Mr Ehsan was talking to Bangladesh Post in an interview on Friday. 

He mentioned that the government has given permission to reopen the small and medium level trading houses from May 10. Law enforcers, business leaders have come to consensus to help each other to ensure the health guidelines strictly so that health risks can be avoided. 

“We have told that a limited number of shops will be opened in every markets, as like where there have 500 stalls in a market there only 100-150 will be opened”, Ehsan added. 

In every market there have a standing committee to supervise and monitor whether the health guidelines are being followed or not, in case of failing the guidelines the law enforcers will take immediate measures and even mobile courts will act instantly to take measures against the responsible shop owners or salesmen.  

In the previous year the small and medium level traders have traded more than Tk. 70,000 during Ramadan whereas this year it is feared that trading will be less at least by 90 percent than that of last year. 

But what I think that this time none is bothered with the financial loss because pandemic of Covid-19 is a global disaster, people now are only thinking of saving lives of their own, family members and community people. 

We have strictly guided the shop owners to maintain due distancing when running business activities and even to set 

Canel Towers to be set mandatorily in front of the markets and those who will fail to follow these guidelines they will be barred from running markets. 

Replying to a question, Ehsan said they have submitted proposal to the government through FBCCI for a stimulus package of 20,000 crore for for the small and medium level businessmen. 

“Of the amount we proposed that Tk. 10,000 crore for the wellbeing of cottage industries sector while the rest of Tk 10,000 crore for small and medium traders”, he said adding that they requested the apex  trade body, FBCCI to pursue so that the fund can be allocated before eid-ul-fitr.   

He said besides, another initiative is on to stand by the loosing small scale traders in coordination with FBCCI, Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Commerce and Miistry of Industries.  

He said the government has taken the decision to open limited scale trading activities mainly aiming to restart the wheels of country’s economy, also to save the businessmen, but at the same time we can easily understand that in case of failing to follow the health safety guidelines we fall in a dire situation, it may even lead us to a famine so I earnestly request all the shop owners as well as salesmen to follow the guidelines strictly at all markets.