Is Complete Lock Down Possible in Bangladesh?

Complete lockdown, means including halting production and supply chain neither feasible nor possible in this COVID19 in our / Bangladeshi context.

Europe and developed country can do it, as they have reserve, eg, country like Norway and Sweden has reserve that they can feed their citizen for 150 to 200 years, per capital income more than $ 5000.

Our tax GDP ratio around 10%, our revenue collection most of the time is less than 80%.

Around 40% population depend upon wage employment, 23% ultra-poor, 30 to 40% population arein urban/growth center are poor.

Our govt. even if they wish, hardly be able to compensate complete lock down to the govt and non govt workers, hardly be able to feed labors and poor entrepreneurs of urban and semi urban areas. 

There are sporadic lock down happening some of the districts.

We should consider the hardship of poor, we should consider how the production line & supply chain being suffering out of disruption and lesser output.

We have to think of short and long term impact in micro and macro-economic level.

We have to discuss with local expert, as we have lot of good doctors, that how with best protective habit/measures with min. Gear how our farmers can do agriculture, how off & on farm labour can work, how micro entrepreneur can do their business. So that our production in agriculture and non-agriculture will hamper minimum.

We should not be blind to follow the western experiences, or we should not suffer hyper activism, we have to decide our own path.

The integrated agriculture (self-sufficiency and surplus in rice, vegetable, fish, cattle, fish) "boosting and diversified export" (not only garments, also in medicine, leather etc) should not hampered.

To maintain those production and supply chain we have to keep our financial services minimally disrupted in all level.

We strongly believe in disinfection process of trucks, transports, roads and ally’s, with low cost home/locally made spray, which is already happening with altruistic initiative of people.

We believe in 3 fit distancing, hand washing and mask, daily two time bath, washing the cloths every day, disinfecting shoes etc.

We believe in keeping vulnerable age group like child and older people in home and in special care.

Next Ramadan, hot and rainy session may help us as we have a proactive government and quick adaptive nation.

Rezaul Karim Chowdhury, 13th April 2020 – Executive Director –COAST Trust.