It is questioning whether, by saving lives now, we risk far greater damage to life down the road. According to the same Brac survey, 14% of low-income people do not have any food at home due to the coronavirus pandemic. Some of these families will already be covered by existing social safety net programs which are being fast-tracked. The Corona Safety Net targeted to the people who have lost their income (75% on average, according to the Brac report) will be in the form of newly created emergency social safety nets. Zakat in Bangladesh, informally estimated to be about Tk30,000cr per year, may supplement the government’s social safety net.

Source: Dhaka Tribune April 13, 2020 14:26 UTC