DHAKA, Aug 20 (NNN-BSS) – Clubs and community centres, resorts, as well as, recreational facilities across Bangladesh reopened to tourists yesterday, after having remained closed for months in phases, since last year, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Bangladeshi government decided to allow tourist destinations to reopen, at half of their capacities from yesterday, asking everyone to follow the health guidelines.
Bangladesh’s Cabinet Division made the announcement, directing relevant authorities to ensure compliance with the government-issued health safety protocols, including wearing masks outdoors.
The announcement came, after Tour Operators Association of Bangladesh (TOAB) demanded reopening of tourist spots, to save millions involved in the sector.
Rafeuzzaman, TOAB president, recently said, the sector had to incur a loss of around 200 billion taka (around 2.33 billion U.S. dollars), due to the pandemic since last year.
He said, the pandemic has created untold suffering to some four million people, involved in the country’s tourism industry.
The resurgence in COVID-19 cases since June, prompted the government to enforce the latest lockdown that began on July 1 and continued till July 14.
Bangladesh re-imposed the lockdown from July 23 to Aug 10, in phases, after relaxing restrictions for a week on the occasion of the Eid al-Adha festival, which fell on July 21.
Instead of imposing lockdown again, Bangladesh, since last month, strengthened COVID-19 vaccination drive in the capital, Dhaka and elsewhere in the country, thanks largely to the Chinese government’s vaccine support.
To further strengthen the countrywide vaccination drive, Bangladesh, on Monday, signed an agreement on co-production of the Chinese Sinopharm doses locally.
The memorandum of understanding (MoU) was signed between China’s Sinopharm Group, Bangladesh’s Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, and Incepta Vaccine Ltd., a leading local vaccine manufacturing company.
Bangladeshi Health Minister, Zahid Maleque, said, the Bangladeshi government is in need for 260 million doses of vaccine, to bring 80 percent of its population under vaccination, to control the pandemic outbreak.
Bangladesh reported 6,566 new COVID-19 cases and 159 new deaths yesterday, making the tally at 1,447,210, and the death toll at 24,878, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), said.
Bangladesh recorded the highest daily new cases of 16,230 on July 28, and the highest number of deaths of 264 twice, on Aug 5 and 10.– NNN-BSS
