More than 500 garment factories in Bangladesh reopened on Monday after a month-long shutdown to contain the coronavirus pandemic. At the same time, India is considering easing restrictions on some certain industries to reduce the economic strain.
Mohammad Hatem, the vice president of the Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association, said it required workers to wear masks, wash hands, undergo temperature checks, and maintain distancing measures. Hatem added that competitors in China, Cambodia, and Vietnam already restarted operations.
Bangladesh’ garment industry which consists of more than 4,000 factories, supplies major global brands such as Gap, Zara, and H&M. The sector employs 4.1 million workers and is the primary driver of Bangladesh economic growth.
Despite the resumption in garment factories, other parts of the economy remain shut. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has ordered schools and universities to remain shut until September. On Monday, the country reported nearly 500 new cases, putting the total number to 5,913 with a death toll of 152.
Meanwhile, in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi and 28 of the country’s chief ministers were considering which restrictions should be eased. Modi said the outbreak is far from over in India. The country has reported 28,379 confirmed COVID-19 cases of whom 886 have died. Economists said the pandemic would deteriorate India’s economic slowdown which had already begun even before the health crisis.
Neighboring Pakistan has switched to a “smart lockdown” with targeted tracking and tracing of cases. Under this measure, some industrial and commercial activities are allowed to resume operations as long as they follow safety guidelines. The coronavirus continues to spread in other South Asian countries such as Sri Lanka (567 cases), Maldives (200 cases), Nepal (52 cases), and Bhutan (7 cases).
