Bangladesh factories open as economic worries trump virus

By JULHAS ALAM
Associated Press

DHAKA, Bangladesh (AP) — Bangladesh is suffering through its deadliest surge of the pandemic, but you wouldn’t know it looking at its factories, markets and malls. The South Asian nation has done away with most virus restrictions, allowing businesses to reopen to enthusiastic crowds following weeks of strict measures put in place following the arrival of the highly contagious delta variant. The move at a time when deaths and infections are rising and vaccination rates remain low has alarmed health experts, who warn that the country can’t handle more cases when the health care system is already overwhelmed. But those in favor of reopening say the risks of staying closed are even greater, including pushing tens of millions of people back into poverty.