Shop owners, workers’ demo protesting closure of markets

Dhaka, Apr 14: Shop owners and employees of New Market and adjacent shopping malls staged demonstrations for the second consecutive day on Monday protesting the closure of shopping malls during the 7-day lockdown enforced to contain the Covid-19 transmission. The protesters first took to the streets on Sunday and vandalized a number of vehicles during the demonstrations. At one stage, they locked into clashes with police.
Owners and employees of shops of Dhaka New Super Market, Chandrima Super Market, Nur Mansion and several other shopping malls again brought out a procession in the New Market area at around 10:30 am to protest the closure.
They demanded the government to allow the market owners to keep those open for four hours every day during the shutdown.
The traders said they incurred huge losses last year when the pandemic broke out. They feared incurring losses again for the ongoing lockdown as Eid is near.
Additional law enforcers have been deployed in the area to keep the situation under control, SM Kaiyum, officer-in-charge of New Market police station, told UNB.
“We are speaking with some of the leaders of the traders. The situation is under control and we are alert to avoid any unexpected situation,” he said.
The country started a seven-day lockdown on Monday, aiming to contain the second wave of Covid-19.
All modes of public transports (road, river, rail and domestic flights) will remain suspended during the period, among other restrictions, reports UNB.