Health guidelines ignored at Dhaka kitchen markets on first day of ‘strict lockdown’

Although Dhaka streets were mostly vacant since this morning, on the first day of government-imposed "strict lockdown", the scenario was quite different in the kitchen markets.

People were thronging many kitchen markets around the city today, as witnessed by our reporters while visiting markets in Bhasantek, Mirpur, Demra, Jatrabari and Wari.

Physical distancing and other health guidelines were not maintained while many were seen without masks.

A police official deployed near Bhasantek kitchen market said that they initially tried to force people into maintaining physical distancing. But they failed as even more people started coming around noon.

Around 12:30pm, a mobile court arrived at the Konapara kitchen market of Demra and distributed masks among people.

One of the members of the mobile court was also asking all to maintain social distancing over the loudspeaker. But the area was already overcrowded to maintain any such distancing.