Claims health minister; experts say no room for complacency
The government yesterday announced closure of all public and private offices from March 26 to April 4 as part of its efforts to contain the spread of novel coronavirus.
Hospitals, kitchen markets, drug stores, and other emergency services, however, will remain open.
Besides, the army will start assisting the local administration at divisional cities and district towns today in ensuring social distancing and implementing other precautionary measures.
People have also been advised not to go out of their home unless they need to collect food, medicines or receive treatment. Public transport services will be limited as well.
Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam announced the measures at a press conference at the Secretariat, as per directives from Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
The country’s top bureaucrat came up with the announcement within an hour after the IEDCR said another coronavirus patient died and six more people tested positive for the virus.
The number of deaths from Covid-19 now stands at three while the number of infected people 33 in the country, according to the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).
Besides, an itinerant Muslim imam from Bangladesh died due to coronavirus in The Gambia, AFP reported yesterday.
In another development, Bangladesh Bank said all private and public banks would remain open from 10:00am to 1:30pm on regular working days from March 26 to April 4, according to BB spokesperson Sirajul Islam.
During that period, services at the banks will remain limited and the banks will only conduct cash transactions, which would be made between 10:00am and 12:00pm.
The move came after BB was directed to issue necessary directives on ensuring limited bank operations during the holidays.
At the press conference, the cabinet secretary said the prime minister yesterday met with Enamur Rahman, state minister for disaster management and relief, and top bureaucrats, including her principal secretary, to discuss ways of containing the spread of the virus. Khandker Anwarul was also present.
Before the meeting, the prime minister held another meeting with Chief of Army Staff General Aziz Ahmed, he said, adding the PM gave the directives taking the overall situation into consideration.
Khandker Anwarul said March 26 is a public holiday while March 27 and 28 and April 3 and 4 are weekends. He announced March 29 to April 2 public holidays. “The government has taken the decision to control the spread of coronavirus.”
During that period, different offices and courts would discharge duties online and only the government offices deemed necessary would remain open, he said.
People needing to use public transport must take necessary precautions. Drivers and their helpers must wear masks and gloves, he said.
He said the army would start assisting the local administrations in divisional and district towns from today to ensure people are maintaining social distancing and taking precautionary measures.
In coordination with district magistrates, the army would monitor the treatment of corona patients and the quarantine facilities for suspected cases in districts and divisions.
The army will also monitor whether any person returning from abroad is neglecting the mandatory self-quarantine rules, he said, adding that district magistrates would request the local army commander in line with the law for evaluating the situation.
In a press statement yesterday, Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) said the navy would assist the civil administration in coastal areas while the air force will engage in carrying medical supplies to hospitals and other emergency transportation.
The cabinet secretary also said if low-income people, facing hardship in cities due to the coronavirus outbreak, want to go back to their village home, the government would provide assistance to them under the “Ghare Fera Karmasuchi”.
Deputy commissioners would take necessary measures in this regard, he said.
For this purpose, the government has taken adequate steps to ensure housing and livelihood of people at Bhashanchar of Hatiya upazila in Noakhali, he noted.
He urged anyone interested to take the “opportunity”, saying DCs were given directives in this regard.
The DCs were also directed to provide poor people, whose income would be hit hard, with food and financial assistance.
The secretary then said the prime minister had already directed the Bangladesh Medical Association [BMA] to make a list of 500 doctors, who would discharge duties in the fight against coronavirus.
He also said the government has imposed ban on all types of social, political and religious gatherings. “Those who are ill or have fever or cough or cold have repeatedly been asked not to go to the mosque. But one defied the directive and went to a mosque in Mirpur, which ultimately infected another.
“In this regard, the pious ones were specially requested to strictly follow the advises of Islamic Foundation and religious leaders.”
Meanwhile, Information Minister Hasan Mahmud yesterday told The Daily Star that media outlets would continue to operate normally during March 29-April 4, but mass gatherings should be avoided.
The state-owned BTV would cut down on televising new programmes and instead air previous programmes, he added.
THE PRESS CONFERENCE
At the press conference, Dr Ahmad Kaikaus, principal secretary at the Prime Minister’s Office, said people still have two days to complete their necessary activities before the holidays.
He said a disaster management coordination and relief activities monitoring cell under the PMO office was working round the clock to provide assistance to people.
He also said doctors were working relentlessly to fend off the crisis.
On enforcing lockdowns, he said it has no impact from the scientific point of few.
