The Ministry of Economic Development has revealed that cafés and restaurants will be allowed to open and operate between 05:30pm and 03:00am during the holy month of Ramazan, set to begin on 13 April 2021.

The Economic Ministry revealed that cafés and restaurants could remain open between 04:30am and 01:00am beginning the first of April ahead of Ramazan. The Ministry further detailed that cafés and restaurants will be allowed to open and operate between 05:30pm and 03:00am during Ramazan until the end of the first week of the month of Shawwal.

The Economic Ministry has asked all those operating cafés and restaurants across the Maldives to conduct operations during these times in the weeks ahead.

The ease of restrictions on the operations of cafés and restaurants comes just ahead of Ramazan, at a time the Restaurant Association of Maldives has warned that many in the industry have been operating at a loss, and are on the verge of bankruptcy due to restrictions imposed on them in light of Covid-19. All of Male' City had been placed under lockdown during Ramazan last year, an experience that left many working in the F&B industry across the city struggling to make ends meet.

The Maldives is currently experiencing a devastating third wave of Covid-19 infections, which had seen restrictions imposed on the operations of cafés and restaurants. The issue had been submitted to the People's Majlis, and while the restrictions have since been eased, Thursday saw a record number of new Covid-19 infections confirmed from across the island nation.