COVID-19: Lockdown announcement in Bangladesh triggers panic buying in Dhaka
Apr 03, 2021
Dhaka [Bangladesh], April 3 : After a week-long lockdown was announced in Bangladesh, people in the capital city of Dhaka rushed to kitchen markets on Saturday to essential commodities amid the government's efforts to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the country.
This comes after the Bangladesh government earlier today announced a week-long countrywide lockdown from April 5 to curb the new wave of COVID-19 infections, Dhaka Tribune reported.
Fearing a supply crunch in the market ahead of festivities, consumers said they were purchasing more ahead of lockdown and the month of Ramadan.
"As the lockdown is going to begin again due to coronavirus so the prices of essential commodities can go up in the market so I purchased several items today," Kabir Hossain, a resident of Banasree told UNB, as quoted by Dhaka Tribune.
According to the state-run organisation, the price of coarse increased by 2.20 per cent compared to a week while a five-litre bottled soybean rose by 0.79 per cent.
"The prices of each kg anchor pulses increased by 8.43 per cent, flour by 4.29 per cent, potato by 5.88 per cent, garlic by 9.09 per cent and local ginger by 17.65 per cent," the data also showed.
Earlier today, Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader had made the lockdown announcement at a regular briefing from his official residence on Saturday morning
"Every office and court will be closed during this lockdown but industries and mills will continue their operation on rotation," State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain said.
Ask why industries and mills will be kept operational during the lockdown period, the state minister replied: "If we close the mills then the workers may have to leave their workstations and head for home."
Bangladesh reported a record 5,683 new cases in the past 24 hours. With the new cases, the tally has reached 6,30,277 cases, in the country. The country reported 58 deaths in the 24 hours, taking the tally of fatalities to 9,213.
