Bangladesh: Lockdown announcement triggers panic buying for essentials in Dhaka

People in Dhaka, Bangladesh, rushed to markets after a week-long lockdown was announced amid a surge in the COVID-19 cases. The Bangladesh government decided to impose a week-long nationwide lockdown from Monday as COVID-19 cases and deaths surged across the country. Road Transport Minister Obaidul Quader made the announcement at a media briefing in Dhaka on Saturday, April 3.  

According to the reports by ANI, Kabir Hossain, a resident of Banasree told UNB, “As the lockdown is going to begin again due to coronavirus so the prices of essential commodities can go up in the market so I purchased several items today”.

As per the Dhaka Tribune, the price of coarse increased by 2.20 per cent compared to a week. Also, a five-litre bottled soybean rose by 0.79 per cent. The data said, “The prices of each kg anchor pulses increased by 8.43 per cent, flour by 4.29 per cent, potato by 5.88 per cent, garlic by 9.09 per cent and local ginger by 17.65 per cent”.

PM Modi 'won hearts and minds'

In another significant development, Bangladesh’s foreign minister AK Abdul Momen said that PM Modi, with timely delivery of COVID-19 vaccines, has “won the hearts and minds” of Bangladeshi residents.  His remarks came hours after the Indian leader addressed a crowd in Dhaka commemorating the country’s 50th Independence day from Pakistan. Earlier in January, India had supplied over two million doses of Covishield vaccines to Bangladesh under its ‘Vaccine Maitri’ programme. 

Furthermore, Momen revealed that apart from the already supplied jabs, PM Modi had offered 1.2 million additional doses of coronavirus vaccines as a gesture of goodwill to the country which has been accepted. The Bangladeshi leader revealed that the country had also inked a deal with India for 30 million doses of the vaccine. As a part of the contract, Bangladesh will now buy five million shots every month.

(Image Credits: ANI, representative image)