Govt issues gazette on extension of lockdown till April 28

Amid the surge of coronavirus infection, the current lockdown restrictions timeframe has been extended till April 28. The cabinet division issued a gazette notification Tuesday extending the timeframe of the current lockdown for a week from Thursday.

Considering the present infection situation amid the Covid-19 pandemic, all the previous restrictions including international special flight operation and banking schedule have been extended till the midnight of April 28 from the midnight of April 21, according to the gazette.

To curb the corona virus infection, strict eight-day long lockdown was imposed from 6am on April 14 and it was scheduled to end on April 21.

Meanwhile, the National Technical Advisory Committee on the Covid-19 has recommended for strict enforcement of lockdown for one more week. For extension of the lockdown, an inter-ministerial meeting at the initiative of the cabinet division was also held on Monday.

Earlier, the cabinet division issued a gazette notification on April 12 enforcing strict lockdown. A total of thirteen instructions were imposed during the lockdown and the same instructions would remain effective during the fresh lockdown period.

“All the government, semi-government, autonomous, private and financial institutes will remain closed. All the employees and officials have been asked to stay at the duty station during the lockdown,” according to the gazette notification.

But the air, sea, river, land ports and its concerned establishments will remain out of the purview of the instruction.

All types of transportations, including road, river and international flight operation will remain shutdown. But cargo transportation, manufacturing and emergency services will remain out of the order.

Industries and factories are allowed to operate by maintaining health guidelines. But factories and industries must have to ensure transportation for their respective workers.

Law enforcement personnel, emergency utility services, farm inputs including fertilizer, seed, pesticides, farm machineries, food grains, food items transportation, relief distribution, health care services, Covid-19 vaccination, electricity, water, gas, fire service, port operations, telephone, internet, mass media including print and electronic media, private security, postal services and other emergency cargo and service related offices, employees and their own transportation will remain out of the restrictions.

Without any emergency situation like medicine and essentials purchase, medical treatment, burial or funeral of dead body, none will be allowed to go outside of home. Travelling for vaccination purpose after showing vaccination card will be allowed.

All the shops including shopping malls will remain closed during this time. But food shops and hotel, restaurants are allowed to open only for sale and supply of food between 12pm to 7pm and 12am to 6am daily.

Commodity and daily essentials selling are allowed in open space from 9am to 3pm daily, but the market authority and the local administration will ensure this. Transportation of farm labourers for harvesting of the boro crop will be coordinated by the concerned district administration.

District and field administration throughout the country have been asked to take effective measures for implementing these instructions and law enforcing agencies will enforce regular patrol.

District administration and the police department will take necessary action on behalf of the director general of the Department of Health, the notification added.

The Religious Affairs Ministry will issue individual instructions on performing Jummah and Tarabi prayers through following health guidelines.

The concerned ministry/division is allowed to issue supplementary instructions for implementing the instructions accurately. Even the Bangladesh Supreme Court will issue necessary instructions for the courts.