Bangladesh enforces week-long Covid lockdown

Bangladesh government has enforced seven-day lockdown from today (5 April) as an effort to curb the dangerous surge of Covid-19 cases.

The lockdown restrictions came into effect from 6am.

The directives are:

• All types of public transports (road, water, rail and domestic flights) will remain suspended. However, it will not apply to the transportation of goods, manufacturing industry and emergency services. Inbound and outbound passengers are exempted from it

• The directives will not apply to officers, staff and vehicles associated with law enforcement agencies, emergency services (relief distribution, medical, electricity, water, gas and fire service), land, river and seaports, telephone, Internet, postal service and other essential products and services

• All government, semi-government, autonomous and private offices may ask a limited number of employees to come to the office for performing emergency tasks but the offices have to arrange own vehicles

• Industries, factories and construction projects can be carried on by arranging their own transportation system

• The BGMEA and the BKMEA have to ensure field hospitals or treatment facilities for workers at suitable places near the factories

• None will be allowed to go out from 6pm to 6am except for urgent needs (medicine, daily necessities, illness, burial, etc)

• Food shops and restaurants may sell food or provide takeaway services only

• All shops and shopping malls will remain closed but online sales will be allowed provided the staff follow mandatory health guidelines and no customers are allowed in the shop

• Daily necessities can be sold in open spaces from 8am to 4pm maintaining proper health rules

• The Bangladesh Bank has to issue necessary directives for banks to perform their operations on a limited scale

• The armed forces have to arrange field hospitals in suitable places in Dhaka

• District and grassroots level administration must take effective measures to implement the directives. Law enforcers have to tighten and regulate patrolling

• Strict legal actions will be taken against anyone for not complying with the directives