The economy of the world is corroding with coronavirus. There is a lot of uncertainty. In many countries of the world, the industrial zone is virtually closed. Trump has adopted a trillion-dollar aid plan. Many of the billions of people imprisoned in their own homes are without pay. They need help. The hotel or other facilities premises are completely closed. According to Chinese experience, the virus halted all activities for at least two months.

Therefore, there will be a normality in the business in at least two months. In this case, a catastrophe of the starving people is inevitable when the economy of all the countries are slows down. Those who eat day in and day out, whose income is on your way to and from work every day — some are selling flowers, some selling bunches of keys, someone's income is from bus driving or being a conductor or by driving a rickshaw or a uber driver, their income is not there any more. In this context, today's writing is about what we think.

The situation in our country is not yet clear. But looking at the data from other countries, it is not uncommon for the situation to get worse. The lockdown has not yet been announced. In the meantime, the directive on the returning expatriates to remain quarantine voluntarity in their own homes did not work. 

That day I went to Jessore. I saw a lot of luggage with the passanger sitting in the seat next to me and I was a little curious and saw from the badges that he is coming from Singapore. He was by our side while we were waiting for our luggage at Jessore Airport. He seemed to be a healthy person. I was thinking, would it be possible for him to live separately from his family in his own house?  By that time he was talking on his mobile. I heard, 'Send him inside ...'. A few minutes later a five-to six-year-old boy walked into the gate. I realized the boy was standing outside the gate. He couldn't go, so asked to send him inside the gate. The father took the child in his arms and filled him with kisses.   

When this is our family bond, the danger is inevitable if anyone in the family gets sick. If you look at the accounts of the 17 people who were infected with COVID-19 so far, you will find that it is similar to this incident.

The second incident is more dangerous. A migrant worker returned from Italy, he arrives at a Dhaka hospital for kidney problems. He did not tell anyone involved in his treatment that he was a under quarantine for 14 days.  A few days later, four people at the hospital in Dhaka showed signs of COVID 19. Do you understand where the source is? This kind of covert behaviour will put us in more danger. We do not follow referral services to attend a patient.   Going for taking treatment without references is endangering the whole hospital.

I heard the third incident from the son. When a student of a medical college came to the hospital with stomach ache, no one treated him for fear. The principle of the medical profession was to treat the patient but they did not.  The student died without treatment.

When this is the case, I thought — now sickness is dangerous too. It will be difficult to get treatment for any illness. One of my doctor's brothers in London told me that all optional surgeries are now closed and even for heart patients. My housekeeper said that the doctors are not willing to see patients with symptoms of cold and cough. What can be done? My own dry cough has already lasted for about 15 days. I got the medicine by asking my doctor on WhatsApp. I survived. A few days ago I bought a doctor service using mobile. They said they would provide a doctor at any time for two and a half taka a day. I thought, let's see if it works! I called. The voice on the other end is sweat — she said, we have a lot of pressure today, but the doctor will call you after a while. I understood that it's not just me who wants online doctor services. Let's see what happens. The call came shortly after. The doctor listened carefully and gave the medicine.

I told the story because Corona would change us. This morning I saw an e-mail from a colleague. He is advising to take video classes. In general, I agree with him. The situation will not be fully normal within the next two months, so there is no alternative to video classes to continue our education activities. In the meantime, many universities in the United States have started it. Our students in the quarantine must also be annoyed sitting at home. So the initiative is not bad. I was thinking is there are many software that can create my classroom environment virtually? Just at that time I saw an advertisement from a software company called Zoom in the corner of my mobile. It is truly amazing how intelligent they are! They could send you such an advertisement to me at the right time!

I saw that I will get classroom in this software. I can talk. I can hear others. Not everyone can shout at a time. Whoever I tell like a class teacher can only talk, others can't. Students will be able to raise their hands like a class. I can write on the whiteboard. Everything is possible! That means I can do classes from home. Last month, I took two of my class exams on online experimentally. Therefore, both classes and exams are possible. In the meantime, Facebook has launched a new app called @Workplace, which allows you to work from home.

Watched on TV the details of the lockdown in Wuhan, China. They have carried out all activities including food delivery, delivery of medicines online and with the help of the National Transport Company in the months of lockdown.  All the sectors of the economy except health services will suffer during lockdown. However, the agricultural sector will continue. Here nature has continued production activities on its own.

I have shown you some useful examples of how the world is changing. Now my question is, will we not do these things online after the problem is over?  In my opinion, it will not be possible to get everything back as it was. It will change us. Many offices will be closed. If office rent and other costs are reduced, it may be possible for companies to pay more for skilled workers or the companies will become competitiveness.  It will be possible to compete in the international market by producing at low cost.

For those of us who don't have clear idea yet, next time we'll be same but it won't be. So we need to take the necessary preparation. During the 2008 recession, online check-ins were introduced in many US stores and on many airlines. It has only increased in later times. Not all jobs were returned after the recession. So if governments think, in the future, all jobs will return to the right place, it will not. In my opinion, there will be huge changes in the world of employment, education, training and medicine practices all over the world in future. The addition, blockchains, will help us to make a big difference in our systems. This is a new opportunity for some to take the digital economy into the next step.

Each problem in the word also creates a new opportunity. We need to be prepared for the next chapter, without being overwhelmed. I have been saying for 20 years that the government's pension schemes shall not be for government employees only. Government servants are no longer the tool of the colonial masters that they should only be allowed to receive such allowance as part of the gratitude. All citizens need to be brought in under pension allowances. Introduction of unemployment allowance is also possible. As agriculture is no longer the center of livelihood for more than 50 percent of our economy. Here nature does not continue our production system. We meed human hands. so when the human hand does not move, there is a lot of danger. This national crisis will endanger the government. So we should introduce unemployment allowance and pension allowance for all employees now.

 

Dr. A. K. Enamul Haque: Professor, Department of Economics, East West University and Director, Asian Center for Development