Lockdown relaxed amid surge in Covid pandemic

• Shops, public transport to reopen 

• Trains to resume operation 

The government on Monday planned to soften ongoing strict lockdown from July 15 to 23 in order to facilitate movement of people and trading of sacrificial animals at cattle markets for the upcoming Eid-ul-Azhadespite renewed surge in both daily deaths and infections from the Covid-19 pandemic during the past week. But a press information department handout said that the strict restrictions would resume from July 23 and a circular would be issued by the Cabinet Division today in this regard.

According to the Directorate General of Health Services, Bangladesh has registered the highest number of 13,768 new cases in a single day on Monday, with death toll reaching 220 during the same period. With these deaths, the total toll stood at 16,639 until 8 am yesterday and the total caseload amounted to 1,034,957.

The Cabinet Division in a meeting decided that the public transport will be operational following health regulations during the eight-day long relaxed lockdown. Country's shopping malls and business establishments will be open from Thursday (July 15) as per the decision on relaxation of ongoing strict lockdown. Besides, government offices will run virtually during this time but private offices will not be allowed to open.

Meanwhile, Dhaka registered the record number daily cases and most deaths among the eight divisions with 6,413 new cases and 64 more deaths. Khulna, a recent virus hotspot, logged 55 deaths and 1,642 new cases. Chattogram saw 37 new deaths and 2,311 new cases, Rajshahi saw 23 deaths and 1,339 cases, and Rangpur saw 18 deaths and 613 new cases.

Nationwide, another 7,020 people recovered from the illness, bringing the total number of recoveries to 881,521.

As many as 44,067 samples were tested across the country, for a positivity rate of 31.24 percent. The latest figures put the recovery rate at 85.17 percent and the mortality rate at 1.61 percent.

Bangladesh is currently facing a renewed surge in Covid-19 cases and deaths, prompting the government to impose its harshest lockdown yet.

After record infections and deaths in April, June was the second deadliest month for Bangladesh since the coronavirus pandemic struck the country in March 2020.

Globally, over 186.56 million people have been infected by the novel coronavirus and over 4.03 million have died, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University.

Infections have been reported in more than 210 countries and territories since the first cases were identified in China in December 2019.

Shops to reopen 

With the ease of lockdown, the government has been considering to allow private transport and shopping outlets to operate, along with sacrificial animal markets, in compliance with health guidelines from July 15. It is being said that the cabinet decision is influenced by the consideration of the livelihood of the working-class, regardless of the health directorate's warning that the virus situation may worsen further in the next one week if the infection curve keeps rising.

Trains to resume operation 

Meanwhile, Bangladesh Railway will resume operation at half capacity from 15 July amid the surge in Covid-19 infection and deaths.Confirming the news, Railway Minister MdNurul Islam Sujon said the tickets will be available online from tomorrow.

"But all the ticket counters will remain closed, and trains will carry only half passengers of its capacity", said the minister.