Like many poor South Asians, Khan has no choice but to leave the house for work. "Should I buy a mask or food for my family?" Wearing a mask in public is now compulsory in India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka and advised by Afghanistan and Bangladesh, and demand and prices have soared. With basic disposable mask now costing up to $7 in some places, that has created a new form of inequality in cities where hundreds of millions live in cramped, unhygienic conditions. Meenakshi Ganguly, South Asia director for Human Rights Watch, said coronavirus lockdown measures had disproportionately hurt marginalised communities.

Source: bd News24 April 28, 2020 10:07 UTC