Four more Corona cases in Bangladesh

Bangladesh yesterday reported four more Corona positive cases in the country taking the total number of infected people to 48. Addressing media through virtual briefing Director of the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) Dr. Meerjady Sabrina Flora said that earlier only foreign returnees were being tested for Corona virus but now it has been extended to all potential groups at risk including health professionals.

While the offices and other places of public gathering like malls, shopping centres, public transportation remained shut in the country, two major associations from the Ready Made Garments (RMG) sector gave a call to the manufacturing units to shut down their factories till April 4.

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) advised its members to close down factories in line with the appeal of the Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to stay home. Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) has asked the factories to shut down production till 4th April in



view of the Corona crisis.

However, the BGMEA said that factories engaged in producing personal protective equipment (PPE) and other materials on urgent basis can remain open.

RMG is the largest sector of Bangladesh economy contributing close to 84 percent of its total export earnings and employing more than 4 million people. Bangladesh has reported that orders worth dollar 2.68 billion for the RMG sector has either been cancelled or halted since the Corona crisis hit the world.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina had announced on March 25 a package of Tk 5000 crore for the garment export sector exclusively for paying salaries to the workers.

In the meanwhile, the British High Commission in Dhaka, in a Facebook post, advised its citizens to return to UK. Currently, flights of Biman Bangladesh continue to operate to London and Manchester in UK but it announced today that these flights will stop from 1 April in view of the Corona virus crisis.