Shops, malls reopen today

All shops, shopping malls and markets are being allowed to reopen from today from 10:00am to 8:00pm maintaining health guidelines.

Helal Uddin, president of Bangladesh Shop Owners Association, said he has urged traders to inform the association about their lockdown-induced financial losses.

"We will send it to the government office concerned," he said. The opening decision was announced on August 3 by Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque.

The strict restriction was imposed since June 28 in the wake of an increase in Covid-19 infections. 

Though the situation is yet to improve, the Cabinet on August 8 issued a notification that the restrictions would not be extended.

According to the association, there are about 56 lakh wholesale and retail establishments employing 2 crore people. They account for 13.87 per cent of the total trade in goods, according to Bangladesh Economic Review.