Jagaran Chakma

The government should take immediate steps to protect the poor and low-income groups as it is set to impose fresh lockdowns to curb the spread of coronavirus infections, economists said yesterday.

They said the low-income groups would fall into difficulties once again because of the sudden reinstatement of lockdown. The poverty rate will accelerate if the measure prolongs from the initial seven days.

The government decided to impose a week-long countrywide lockdown from tomorrow.

Binayak Sen, the new director-general of the Bangladesh Institute of Development Studies (BIDS), said every wave of Covid-19 contained the risks of creating new poverty. But the new poor tried to recover fast from distress after a particular wave was over.

“So, the government should be ready to give temporary social protection to avoid new poverty and leverage faster recovery from any social crisis.”

Sen suggested giving food support to the poor communities to ensure food availability if the lockdown continued for a month or so and extend healthcare facilities to the essential workers engaged in the garment and other sectors through a partnership with non-government organisations.

The noted economist called for linking social protection services with the database of the national identification number so that they worked effectively and reduced leakages.