Two house owners waive rent for tenants amid coronavirus crisis
House owner Muhib wished that other landlords would also stand by their tenants during the crisis period so that the tenants can stay at home without any tension over paying their house rent
Stay at home and social distancing measures to prevent the spread of coronavirus will make it difficult for low-income people to manage their family expenses.
They will face financial crisis if they stay at home without working.
While many countries in the world have taken up several initiatives to support such people, the government of Bangladesh is yet to make any such announcement.
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However, two house owners in Dhaka have announced waiver of house rents for their tenants during the crisis period.
One of them is Rehana Habib, wife of noted film director Habibul Islam Habib.
She has decided to waive one month's house rent for tenants in her building in the capital's Hazaribagh.
There are six tenants in the six-storey building. She will not take the rent from them for the month of March.
Habib said they had been inspired by the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who announced to spend $27 billion to support Canadian workers and businesses.
"I think other people who are financially sound will follow this step," Habib told The Business Standard.
Sensing a lockdown waiting ahead, another house owner named Muhib Rahman of Hazaribagh has declared that he will not take house rents for two months.
In his Facebook status, Muhib wrote, "Working class people cannot go to work as everything has stopped due to coronavirus outbreak. As a citizen of the country, I have waived the house rents."
He wished that other landlords would also stand by their tenants during the crisis period so that the tenants can stay at home without any tension over paying their house rents.
In his status, he gave some advice to his tenants -- help others with the rent which is waived if possible, wash your hand after every few minutes, stop going outside home unnecessarily and pay the electric bill on your own.
Regarding the Facebook post, Muhib said as the social media was flooded with negative news, he posted the notice on it so that people could see some positive news there.
