Covid-19: Bangladesh imposes strict restrictions on movement from July 1

DHAKA, June 29 (NNN-BSS) — The Bangladeshi government has taken decision to enforce a seven-day countrywide strict restrictions from July 1, engaging the Armed Forces, BGB and Battalion Police aiming to check the coronavirus transmission.

“There’ll be no movement pass . . . None can go outside rather they will have to stay indoors,” Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam briefed newsmen after the weekly Cabinet meeting at the Secretariat.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chaired the meeting held at the Cabinet room of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.

The Cabinet Secretary said a notification will be issued on Tuesday to inform the government’s orders regarding the restrictions.

“We’re going in a very strict view to execute the movement restrictions from 6am on July 1 to 12am on July 7,” he said, replying to a question from reporters.

Only those who are in emergency services are allowed outside during the restriction, he added.

Mentioning that all forces including the Armed Forces, BGB and Battalion Police will be engaged here, Anwarul Islam said, “They (forces) will patrol and take legal action if anyone violates (the restriction).”

The forces have given the authority to take all necessary measures to executive the restriction and asked to remain alert so that people cannot break it, he said.

In the cabinet meeting, the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief was given a clear directive to sort out a programme to ensure proper assistances for the poor particularly in the urban areas during the upcoming restriction as it did in the last year, he said.

Mentioning that a meeting was held with the Home Minister on last Saturday to discuss about the restrictions, he said they will be meeting again to discuss about the restrictions details and then the government’s orders will be informed through issuing a notification on Tuesday.

He said the government cannot go for a strict restriction till 30 June on some realistic grounds. So, it will start on July 1, he added.

Meanwhile, Director General of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam said a large consignment of COVID-19 vaccines is likely to arrive in the country in the first week of next month.

He said that priority in vaccination would be given to those workers who would go abroad side by side those who are at high risk for various diseases and complications would be given preference.

Khurshid said preference would also be given to the critical patients since the death rate from COVID-19 among those who are suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes, cancer and other diseases is high.

He said with the availability of possible vaccines, it would be possible to make a big stride forward to vaccinate a big portion of people as the government is aiming to ensuring health safety through vaccinating at least 80 percent of the people.

“We want to vaccinate such a group of people up to the village level and it is the directive from the Prime Minister,” he added.

The number of COVID-19 cases in Bangladesh hit a record daily high since the outbreak of the pandemic with 8,364 new infections being reported in a span of 24 hours, pushing the nationwide coronavirus tally to 896,770, so far.

The death toll rose to 14,276 with 104 new fatalities as the virus was first detected on March 8 last year, Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said in its routine daily statement Monday.

The recovery count rose to 8,07,673 after another 3,570 patients were discharged from the hospitals during the past one day. — NNN-AGENCIES