And their personnel join the frontline
A lot of the workplace in Bangladesh has turn off, sending an incredible number of employees home to hold back out the coronavirus pandemic.
However the 12,000-odd supermarket staff aren't so lucky, who've to report to work each day to sell food and other household staples to a country amid a potentially catastrophic outbreak of the novel virus.
At the same time when social distancing is highly advised, people are thronging to the supermarkets to stockpile essentials.
"At first, I was properly panic-stricken," said Md Ibrahim Hossain, who works on the shop floor in Meena Bazar on Dhanmondi-27.
His parents, who are in Jashore, were concerned, plus some of his colleague too left the work fearing contagion of the lethal pathogen.
"After cogitating for some time, I made a decision to stay put. Because, I must protect my company's reputation. Besides, if might work helps people in this crisis period, Personally i think honoured," the 20-year-old added.
Like Hossain, a horde of salespersons, whose average age will be 20, have dared to join the army of doctors, nurses, medical researchers, food producers, law enforcing agencies, bankers, customs officials and persons in a variety of other professions to fight and defeat the coronavirus, even though their salaries, perk and benefits aren't attractive enough.
Thought to be minor jobs in today's social setting, service supplied by superstore workers have considered be an important and esteemed one in Bangladesh during these days of the pandemic.
"When I see them serving customers on to the floor, one thing involves my mind repeatedly. They have not fled the battleground when many doctors here have fled. They stayed to serve us. They will be the real soldiers," said a high executive of one of the favorite supermarkets, wanting to remain unnamed.
Plus they are risking their health -- because they come in close connection with large groups of people at a time -- in a way that the way to obtain essentials to the city dwellers remains steady and hassle-free.
Whereas salespersons at neighboourhood convenience stores can provide products to customers keeping a distance by staying behind the shop counters, the supermarket personnel haven't any such choice: they need to help shoppers find their desired products, weigh, pack and give to the clients strolling around the shop.
The more persons are crowding into stores, the greater the chance that employees will come in contact with the virus.
And at grocery stores, the surge in buying has displayed no signs of slowing.
While all supermarkets took safety measures to safeguard its employees and customers, providing them with masks, gloves and hand sanitizers and even personal protective equipment, you can never be 100 % certain of immunity from the highly contagious virus.
Some stores check their employees' temperature after arrival, and some like Unimart has introduced thermal scanners at the entry of its stores to check on the temperature of its customers to too not only to safeguard other shoppers from the risk of contagion but also to shield its employees from the dangerous virus.
Aside from them, some introduced pick and drop services for its employees.
"We've also created accommodation arrangements for our staff and offered incentive add up to one month's salary," said Murtoza Zaman, leader of Unimart.
The superstore, which began its journey in July 2013, has 450 employees across four outlets and offers food for its sales and service staffs.
To inspire the workers, Shwapno, the country's most significant supermarket chain with practically 130 outlets across Dhaka and other major cities, can be providing a monetary incentive to its employees.
When everything is closed and almost all of the persons are staying home, they are providing services to customers taking the risk, said Sabbir Hasan Nasir, executive director of ACI Logistics, the parent company of Shwapno that has 3,300 staffs.
"This is something that demands recognition. So, now we are providing an incentive to our staff to maintain their mental strength," he said, adding that maintaining a social distance is indeed difficult in the context of Bangladesh.
Shwapno in addition has created accommodation facilities because of its sales and other support people so that it could keep stores open and offer services to customers during the shutdown and stay-at-home days.
"Safety of our staff is most significant to us," said Kazi Inam Ahmed, a director of Gemcon Group, which owns Meena Bazar, one of the oldest supermarket chains in the united states.
Operating through 17 outlets in Dhaka and one in Chattagram, Meena Bazar has arranged pick-up and drop-off services for individuals who live far.
Meena Bazar has introduced a morning briefing on coronavirus for all its employees. Hand-washing every two hours has been made mandatory for all, too.
The retail supermarket checks the temperature of every employee on entry and asked them to see if they're unwell so that the company can support them for home quarantine, testing and treatment, Ahmed said.
Despite all of the measures taken by operators, the risk and fear usually do not go away.
The Daily Star on yesterday visited 6 outlets of Agora, Meena Bazar and Shwapno.
Some of the outlets were overcrowded and customers were violating tape-marked social distancing squares.
"My job is more challenging as I work in cash counter. Although I wear gloves and mask but someone told me that the virus could be transported by air," said an employee of Shwapno wishing anonymity.
"My children is worried -- but I am determined to continue my job," he added.
Farhad Ahmad, leader of Agora, the first retail chain in Bangladesh that opened in 2001, said it has sent the majority of its female employees on omit of safety concerns.
Agora now has 14 outlets in Dhaka, one in Chattogram and two in Sylhet, and pick-up and drop-off services have already been introduced in all its stores.
Some of the superstore workers said they are remaining in regardless of the risk because they just cannot afford to reduce the job, he said.
"I am the only earning member of my family. I cannot jeopardise my job by requesting a leave," said a worker of a superstore.
However, Ahmed said providing a safe environment and job safety because of their employees is their priority.
"We advise and encourage all supermarkets to make sure job safety if employees cannot work in such difficult times," he added.
Meanwhile, despite their valiant services, supermarket staff and delivery personnel are facing harassment from police and other authorities, according to the Bangladesh Supermarket Owners' Association (BSOA).
"We've been informed that a few of our delivery personnel were beaten up by police even after showing their ID cards," said the official of a superstore.
"This is unfortunate for all those frontline workers, who are taking great risk to greatly help us stay at home by taking necessary what to doorsteps. They are actually facing obstacles from law enforcing agencies," said Ahmed, president of BSOA.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has issued a circular allowing e-commerce delivery person movement across Dhaka without restriction.
The association is writing a letter to the DMP seeking such free movement for his or her staff too.
"We urged the authorities immediately to do something to avoid such incidents and declare that the superstore personnel name as frontline workers at the Coronavirus press briefing," he added.
Andrew Cuomo, the governor of New York, is always thanking superstore worker at his Coronavirus press briefing. Not merely him, all over the world superstore staff has garnered the status of frontline workers.
But within Bangladesh, services rendered by Hossain and a large number of his colleagues in the present day supermarkets and informal neighbourhood stops, which are assisting to flatten the curve on coronavirus that has up to now 1,231 and killed 50 here, still remain unnoticed to the authorities.
