Chattogram shop owners to keep markets closed till May 31

The shop owners' associations of different markets and shopping malls in Chattogram city have decided not to open the markets and malls though the government has allowed them to open the markets maintaining proper health guidelines from today.

However, they have decided to keep the markets and malls closed till May 31 as there are risks of spreading coronavirus, according to the leaders of the associations.

Besides, around 22,000 street hawkers in the port city are also not going to open their shops ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr.

Sayed Khurshid Alam, general secretary of Bangladesh Shop Owners' Association, Chattogram district unit, said, "Though we know that the traders will face a huge loss, we have decided to keep the markets closed as there are risks of spreading coronavirus if we open the markets now."

Mohammad Miron Hossain Milon, president of Chattogram Sammilito Hawkers' Federation, said, "Despite incurring a huge loss, we have decided to keep our shops closed till May 31."

Mohammad Mohosin, officer-in-charge of Kotwali Police Station, said all the markets of Chattogram remained closed. "We have beefed up the security of the closed markets. However, the decision on whether VIP Tower and Apollo Shopping Centre will remain closed till May 31 or not has not been finalised as yet," said the OC.