Star Report

The government has decided to reopen shopping malls, all types of shops and other businesses from May 10 on a limited scale ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr.

Those would remain open from 10:00am to 4:00pm every day, a gazette of the Cabinet Division said yesterday.

It said people should stay at their present locations during the Eid holidays and that they should be barred from travelling to their homes in other districts and upazilas.

The directives came hours after the Cabinet Division issued another gazette, extending the ongoing general holidays from May 7 to May 16, reports UNB.

The circular said the government has decided to allow keeping shopping malls, all types of shops and other businesses open maintaining health guidelines during the general holidays considering Ramadan and Eid-ul-Fitr.

“Shops will be allowed to remain open to do business on a limited scale. But all have to maintain distancing and follow health guidelines during buying and selling. Large shopping malls will have to make arrangements for washing hands at their entrances and disinfecting vehicles entering the malls,” it added.

The two circulars were published hours after Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the government directed the authorities to open markets and shops so that people did not face any problem to have iftar and sehri and they could buy goods ahead of the Eid.