City’s supermarkets take ‘No Mask, No Service’ policy

Bangladesh Supermarket Owners Association (BSOA) has taken a decision to enforce 'No Mask, No Service' policy as part of the preparations to face the possible second wave of coronavirus outbreak.

Leaders of the association said they took the decision to make the people aware of wearing facemasks as there is no alternative to wear facemasks to this end.

Super chain-shop Unimart's assistant general manager Ataullah Ripon told BSS that without wearing facemask, none will be given services in their shopping mall.

"Local and foreign consumers come to our shopping mall. We are strictly monitoring the matter of wearing facemasks. We are checking temperature of all. We took all-out measures as the consumers do not face the health risk," he said.

Besides, the Unimart outlets are being disinfected in a break of a day while decision has been taken this week that the outlets will be disinfected every day to face the possible second wave of Covid-19, Ripon said.

He said hand sanitizers are available at the outlets and consumers are requested to sanitize their hands before entering the outlets.

Chain-shop Swapno's operations director Abu Naser said they have taken up all-out measures to keep the consumers protected from being infected by the deadly virus during their shopping at the Swapno outlets.

"We have put much emphasis on keeping the outlets clean and free from germs. We are ensuring mandatory wearing of facemasks to receive and deliver services," he said.

Naser said temperature is being checked at the entry point of the outlets while social distancing is also being maintained properly.

Gulshan-2 outlet's branch manager of Swapno Md Saimon Sarker said Swapno has over 150 outlets of Swapno including 120 in Dhaka.

Government's directives and health guidelines are being followed strictly at all outlets to check the transmission of the virus, he said, adding that consciousness raising posters have been put up on walls at the entry-points.

Super-shop Little India's assistant manager Tanjid Rahman said they are fighting against the virus with the slogans 'No Mask, No Service' and 'No Mask, No Entry'.

"The government has given directives in the wake of the pandemic. We are abiding by all the directives. Not only consumers but also all staffs of the outlets are using facemasks and following other guidelines," he added.

Rahman said many consumers are now purchasing their necessaries and products through e-commerce or home delivery services.

In the wake of the pandemic, the number of consumers is lesser than normal period now, he said.

Gulshan resident Shampa Ahmed, who came to chain-shop Agora, said they are now very conscious about wearing facemasks in going outside.

She expressed her satisfaction over the cautionary measures at the shopping mall in the wake of coronavirus. "Without mask, none can get services here. It is creating awareness among the consumers. We have to sanitize our hands before entering the outlet," she said.

BSOA General Secretary Md Zakir Hossain said the supermarkets remained open during all the period of the pandemic to provide services to the consumers.

The standard of services has been increased during the pandemic maintaining health guidelines, he said.

"It is not possible to store daily necessaries. So, super-shop owners kept continued the supply of products giving subsidy by own initiatives to give hassle free services to consumers," he added.

Hossain said health safety measures will be strengthened further to face the possible second wave of the coronavirus.