Civil Surgeon Dr Imtiaz said everyday workers enter and leave the industrial zones in large groups which raises the risk of coronavirus transmission among them.
Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BKMEA) Senior Vice-President Md Hasem they have ensured guidelines for social distancing inside the factories but workers do not follow the rules when they are out of factories.
Over 200,000 workers are working at the BSCIC industrial area in Fatullah, he said.
Jahangir Alam, a leader of local Samajtantrik Sramik Front, said it was a matter of grave concern that workers of 230 factories came in close contact with each other at the entrance of the industrial area.
He claimed that many workers are continuing to work with coronavirus symptoms and many of them could not get tested.
Industrial police are patrolling the area and urging everyone to maintain social distance but very few are following the instruction, said Sheikh Bashir Ahmed, Inspector (Intelligence) of Narayanganj Industrial Police-4.
“We’re doing our best to inspire the worker to maintain proper hygiene,” he said.
Narayanganj, one of the worst-hit districts in Bangladesh, recorded 1,021 confirmed coronavirus cases until Monday morning and deaths of 50 patients.
Also read: Workers rushing towards Dhaka, Narayanganj
Bangladesh has so far recorded 10,143 confirmed cases and 182 deaths. The government recently decided to open factories in a limited scale but health experts criticised the decision.
They said the ‘premature’ step may trigger a deadly outbreak of the virus in the labour intensive sectors.