‘Lockdown’ stays

In face of the worsening Covid-19 situation despite all recent drives, the government has extended the lockdown restrictions for another week, as suggested by the country's health experts.

State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain on Monday informed the government decision.

“Decision has been made to extend the current restrictions by another week in consideration of the current global situation and the advice of public health specialists,” he said.

However, stores will be allowed to remain open from 10am to 8pm during this time, the state minister said adding, a notice in this regard is likely on Tuesday.

The decision to reopen stores and shopping malls by mainlining proper safety measures was taken on April 25 considering the needs of life and livelihood ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr.

A nationwide lockdown was put in place since April 5 amid a massive surge in virus cases and deaths in the second wave of the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

According to the latest decision by the government, the restriction will be extended till May 5, another seven days from April 28, when the current lockdown was earlier scheduled to end.

The decision was taken during an inter-ministerial meeting on Monday amid the devastating Covid situations of India, a senior Civil Aviation Ministry official, who attended the meeting, told English daily.

Officials from a number of ministries, including health, home affairs, foreign affairs, public administration, and civil aviation, were present in the meeting. 

A rapid rise in coronavirus infections and deaths prompted the government to initially issue an 18-point restrictions directive on March 29, and then eventually go for a weeklong lockdown from April 5, for the second time during the ongoing global pandemic. However, the government eventually decided to enforce a "strict lockdown" from April 14 till 21, which was later extended until April 28.

The country had its first lockdown for more than two months in 2020 before it was lifted in May that year.

During the current lockdown, amid growing demand, the Cabinet Division issued a notice on Friday, allowing shops and shopping malls to open for business from Sunday on the condition that they would maintain proper safety protocols.

The ongoing restrictions on public movement and other activities became almost relaxed with the reopening of the shops and shopping malls, along with more vehicles on the roads. The fresh decision to extend the duration of lockdown coincided with the warning of Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader. On Sunday, he said the government would impose a "strict lockdown” again if health safety rules were not followed everywhere.

Bangladesh seals border with India for next two weeks

In another development, Bangladesh has already sealed its border with India for the next two weeks to limit Covid-19 transmission from the neighbouring country. However, trade through the borders will continue.

In a media release, the Foreign Ministry said travelling through land borders would remain temporarily suspended from 6am on April 26 to 6pm on May 9.

The second wave of Covid-19 is wrecking havoc all over India, with lack of hospital beds, oxygen and adequate healthcare bringing the nation to its knees.

According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the highly infectious Indian variants of Sars-CoV-2, the coronavirus that causes Covid-19, must be prevented from entering Bangladesh to tackle an inevitable disaster. 

The DGHS recorded 97 more deaths from Covid-19 between Sunday and Monday mornings, taking the number of total fatalities in Bangladesh to 11,150.

The country also logged 3,306 fresh cases of infection in the same period of time, raising the total caseload to 748,628.

A catastrophic spike in COVID cases and deaths in neighbouring India sparked fears of further transmission in Bangladesh. The government shut all land ports with India for two weeks, blocking human movement across the border.

Infections in India rose by 352,991 in the last 24 hours, with crowded hospitals running out of oxygen supplies and beds, setting a global record for the fifth straight day.

In Bangladesh, the government on Monday registered 97 new fatalities from the coronavirus, taking the death toll to 11,150. The caseload surged by 3,306 in a day to 748,628.

Lockdown restrictions: 

• All government, semi-government, autonomous and private offices will be closed 

• Banks and stock markets will remain open on a limited scale.

• All modes of transports (road, sea, rail, domestic and international flights) will be closed. (Exceptions: transportation of commodities, production, emergency services, special and chartered flights)

• Industries and factories will be run by their own management complying with the health guidelines. Organisations to ensure transportation for their employees.  

• Law enforcement and other emergency services such as agricultural elements, crops and transportation, relief distribution, health services, covid vaccination, electricity, water, gas/petroleum, fire service, port activities (land, river, sea), telephone and internet (government- private), media (print and electronic media), private security systems, post and other emergency and essential products and services related offices, their employees and vehicles are not included in the ban.