Strict lockdown from Monday

A 'strict lockdown' will come into force from Monday (June 28) across the country until further order in a bid to help contain the ongoing surge in the Covid-19 infections in the country, an official handout said on Friday.

Except emergency services, all public and private offices would remain closed during the lockdown, said the handout, issued by the Press Information Department (PID).

Besides, movement of all modes of transport except those involved in emergency services would remain off the roads, it said. Ambulances and other vehicles used for treatment purposes would be allowed during the lockdown.

Except for any emergency, none would be allowed to go outside, it mentioned.

However, media would remain outside the purview of the lockdown, it added.

The handout also said details about the decision on the lockdown would be issued from the Cabinet division today (Saturday).

The announcement on the lockdown came a day after the National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) on Covid-19 recommended imposition of a two-week countrywide strict lockdown.

However, the decision on imposition of the lockdown would be reviewed after seven days, it was learnt.

The Committee made its recommendation taking into account the continuous surge in the Covid-19 infections and the increased fatalities from the virus in the country in the recent time.

The World Health Organisation in its latest situation report marked 40 districts in Bangladesh "very high risk, for Covid-19 situation."

The government earlier imposed 'lockdowns' in seven adjacent districts of Dhaka along with some other districts under Rajshahi and Khulna to contain further spread of the virus.

Earlier, the government imposed a nationwide lockdown for one week from April 5 to prevent the spread of Covid-19 in the country.

Later, a set of restrictions on public movement and gathering were extended for several times -- until July 15 -- considering the situation.

According to bdnews24.com, the BGMEA chief has agreed with experts about enforcing a 14-day "complete" shutdown. But he believes the export-oriented industries should be allowed to operate on a limited scale amid surging coronavirus infections.

Faruque Hassan, president of garment exporters' group BGMEA, said it was time a shutdown is announced in greater public interest, but many businesses contacted him fearing a disruption in production after the government disclosed its plan to enforce stricter restrictions.

"I've told the factory owners we must agree to it for the greater good. A shutdown is necessary even if it hampers production a bit," he said on Friday.

The government enforced a nationwide lockdown in early April after the second wave of COVID-19 began in Bangladesh. Factories, however, remained open.

Faruque said the lockdown restrictions, especially on transports, are still hampering production. "But the work has not stopped."

Most restrictions were lifted when the situation improved slightly, but another surge in COVID-19 cases prompted the authorities to put curbs in parts of the country.

Now the government is considering another 14-day shutdown following expert advice as coronavirus cases and deaths have continued to rise rapidly.

On Friday, Bangladesh logged 108 new COVID-19 deaths in the daily count, highest since Apr 29, taking the total count to 13,976, as cases surged by 5,869 to 878,804 in the same period.

The BGMEA president argued that closing the factories completely may help the coronavirus spread further because it will not be possible to stop the workers from travelling home in rural districts.

"The virus will spread in countryside. It (closing factories) will do more harm than good," he said.

"So, our advice to the government is to keep the garment factories open even if public transport system is shut down. We will try to continue production with the workers who live near the factories.

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