Export-oriented factories to reopen on August 1 amid lockdown

Dhaka: The government of Bangladesh has allowed export-oriented factories to resume operations on Aug 1 amid the ongoing strict lockdown to curb the coronavirus spread.

The Cabinet Division made the announcement on July 30, after factory owners urged the Prime Minister to ease the restrictions set on industries including the garments sector and allow them to reopen.

The factory owners claimed that prolonged closures risk losing their share of the international market, breakdowns of supply chains, congestion at ports and will have an overall effect on the country’s economy.

However, it is still unclear how the workers would return to their workplaces from home villages or towns, where they had gone to celebrate Eid-ul-Adha before the lockdown was imposed as the restrictions on public transportation will remain in place till August 5.

During the first round of coronavirus lockdown in 2020, thousands of workers walked miles and miles or traveled in crammed goods transports to return to their workplaces when the government allowed factories to reopen amid the lockdown just like this time.