The Dhaka Metropolitan Police on Monday allowed eateries to prepare and sell Iftar items from Tuesday but said no-one can break the fast sitting at restaurants and hotels.

Employees of hotels and restaurants went home after they were shut down at the government’s directive to prevent transmission of coronavirus. However, owners started to reopen hotels and restaurants from Tuesday despite manpower shortage.

Read also: Coronavirus: Govt extends holiday until May 5

Yakub Ali, owner of Yakub Restaurant of Bangabazar area, said most of his workers went to villages. “I’ve opened my restaurant to sale only Iftar items during Ramadan but the number of customers is very low,” he said.

Alamin, owner of Oli Birani house of Mill Barak of Gendaria, said he used to sell Birani, Tehari and Halim during Ramadan. This year, he only made Halim as his cook is yet to join work.

Very few restaurants were seen open due to workers shortage as well as absent of customers.

Eight more people died from coronavirus in Bangladesh in 24 hours till Wednesday morning, taking the death toll in the country to 163. Besides, a record number of 641 people tested positive during the period, raising the number of confirmed cases in the country to 7,103

Read also: Shops finally start selling Iftar delicacies on a limited scale

The government announced a general holiday from March 26 and extended it to May 5 as the coronavirus situation deteriorated.

All non-essential services were shut down, bringing economic activities to almost a halt and putting millions out of job.