Chittagonians feel pinch of coronavirus fallout

CHATTOGRAM, Mar 18: Novel coronavirus, which first broke out at Wuhan city in Hubei provice of China late last year, is affecting trade and commerce in Chattogram, the business hub of Bangladesh.
Now, the fallout of worldwide coronavirus pandemic is being felt in the port city and in the last several weeks, it is affecting tourism and maritime trades the most.
Imports of many commodities, including essentials, have reduced considerably in the last couple of months. Consecuently, prices of many goods which are imported from China and other virus-affected countries, significantly increased last months.
Sources said, the price of China-made goods including machinery, mobile phones, items used by children and infants have gone up. The costs of these items have doubled at the retail markets this month than that in the last month. Besides, prices of food products, including biscuits and chocolates which also are imported from India, Malaysia and other countries also notavly rose.
Retailers said that import of those items has almost stopped due to coronavirus pandemic and their prices are witnessing uptrend amid supply crunch as the stock is coming to an end.
Amid the virus scare, a month-long international trade fair, styled the 28th Chattogram International Trade Fair (CITF) which kicked off on Mar 5 at Railway Polo, has been closed on Mar 16 after 15 days. As a result, hundreds of traders, including the exporter importers, are facing loss due ending of the CITF midway through the fair. Talking to the Financial Express some businessmen, who had set up stalls at the CITF, said they had waited for the fair with their goods to showcase them for buyersfrom home and abroad. But, unfortunately, the CITF organising committee suspended the fair on Mar 16, which was supposed to continue till Mar 31. "The decision made us loser this current year, they added.

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