Dhaka: Some factories can reopen on a limited scale during Ramadan if the situation permits and the authorities strictly follow health directives to protect workers from the coronavirus, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said.

But, the prime minister adds, the authorities must arrange safe transport and isolated housing of the workers to resume production, referring to the chaos created when some readymade garment factories reopened amid the nationwide lockdown over the outbreak.

“Ramadan is nearing. We can’t keep everything shut. We will have to reopen some places gradually,” she told a meeting of officials of Dhaka and Mymensingh divisions via video conferencing from the Ganabhaban on Monday

When Gazipur Deputy Commissioner SM Tarikul Islam raised the issue, the prime minister said, “Many of the factories have empty spaces. They can resume production by keeping the workers safe there following health directives. Some industries need to reopen.”

She noted the pharmaceutical companies and some apparel factories have continued production of drugs for patients and protective gear, including aprons, suits, masks and caps, for doctors and nurses who are fighting COVID-19 on the frontline.

After parts of Dhaka and entire Narayananj district, Gazipur is being considered another coronavirus hotspot with 279 cases recorded until Monday morning.

But “inhumane” decisions by some apparel factory owners hampered home quarantine of the workers in Gazipur, Shamsunnahar, the superintendent of police in the district, told Hasina.

A number of factories called the workers to the district for payment but did not pay up while some others were making garments on the excuse of continuing operations to produce protective clothing for health workers, the SP said.

“The workers have left home to save their jobs, but these factories are not even following health directives,” Shamsunnahar said.

Hasina said the authorities will need to consider whether to reopen the garment factories there on Apr 24 or 25 as the outbreak was getting bigger in the district.

The primer minister advised bolstering efforts to conduct coronavirus tests in Gazipur to weigh the situation.

“After doing it, you can consider reopening factories with proper protection. But I don’t suggest total shutdown. A limited number of workers can come and work. Please make a decision after consulting the factory owners,” she told the officials.

DC Tarikul said the RMG sector entrepreneurs sought buses from the road transport ministry to bring workers from five other districts for restarting production on Apr 26 when the lockdown is scheduled to end.

Hasina then warned against a repeat of the incident of early April. “They [owners] suddenly called the workers through the supervisors. I think it was not right at all. They [workers] suffered greatly during the travel. Even the girls had to walk mile after mile, being escorted by their guardians,” she said.

https://bdnews24.com/business/2020/04/20/hasina-says-some-factories-need-to-reopen-gradually-amid-coronavirus-lockdown