The coronavirus pandemic, which overshadowed lives last year and brought the world to its knees, is still raging but vaccines are giving people hope that it will be possible to return to the normal life before the virus had hit.

Restrictions put in place to prevent the transmission of the virus resulted in the cancellation of events that went on late into the night in previous years.

Bangladesh, like every other nation, was hit hard by the pandemic and saw its growth come to a screeching halt but the country is on its way to recovery.

Also read: 2020 finally ending, but New Year's revelries muted by virus

President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina greeted the nation on the eve of the new year.

In a message, the President urged the people to follow health guidelines while celebrating the occasion which has become somewhat pale because of the pandemic.

Also read: No outdoor celebration on 31st night: DMP

Prime Minister Hasina, in her message, said the pandemic has marred the celebrations of independence and Bangabandhu’s birth centenary.

She said she had issued a 31-point directive to tackle the pandemic and gave a Tk 121,353 crore incentive under 21 packages to keep the economy running and continue the development works.

Also read: Christmas in the time of Covid-19 pandemic

The Prime Minister said Bangladesh would have achieved an 8.2 percent growth if the pandemic didn’t hit. The country successfully managed to keep its growth at 5.24 percent during the pandemic, at a time when the whole world was grappling to prevent negative growth.

The government, she said, managed to bring poverty below 20.5 percent and raise the per capita income to $2,064, among others.

Also read: 2020: A 'horrible year' for art buffs & cultural connoisseurs!

“The coronavirus pandemic has given the world a message that … any global problem can be faced through mutual cooperation and partnership,” she said.