Dhaka, Oct. 22 -- Six months have elapsed since 'holiday' (euphemism for lockdown) was announced at the outbreak of covid-19 in March. During the 'holiday' all sectors of the economy except agriculture, pharmaceuticals industries, some garments factories and food markets were closed down. The impact of the pandemic resulting from this wholesale closure has been two fold: firstly, shrinkage of output and stoppages of sales and services to consumers; secondly, sudden stoppage of income and wages for people employed in the private sector that suddenly snapped or drastically reduced the purchasing power of the overwhelming majority.

After the first flush of the pandemic the consensus has been that it's impact on small and medium units in the...