coronavirus situation
Govt to expats: Don’t come during lockdown, except for emergencies
The government has decided to discourage expatriate Bangladeshis from returning home during lockdown, unless facing an emergency.
Bangladesh Missions abroad are being engaged to disseminate the message among expat communities in various countries.
To convey the message to expatriates, support from the social media platforms, Bangladesh Missions’ websites and community leaders will be taken.
However, the expatriates will be able to return to home from abroad in case there is any emergency need with a condition of mandatory 14-day institutional quarantine.
Also read: Biman to run special flights to 5 countries from Apr 17
Each of the returnees will have to show Covid-19 negative certificate which is a must and the Bangladesh Missions abroad will prepare the list of those who need to come to Bangladesh on an emergency need.
The Armed Forces Division will take adequate preparations for institutional quarantine facilities in Dhaka, Chattogram and Sylhet.
The decisions were taken at a virtual inter-ministerial meeting held on Thursday chaired by Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen.
Health Minister, Expatriates Welfare and Overseas Employment Minister, State Minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism, State Minister for Foreign Affairs M Shahriar Alam and senior officials of the ministries concerned attended.
The government has decided to allow airlines including Biman Bangladesh Airlines to operate special flights to five countries - Saudi Arabia, Oman, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Singapore from April 17 in an effort to help stranded Bangladeshi expatriate workers can join their workplaces.
Also read: Bangladesh to operate special flights to carry overseas workers
Among the expatriate Bangladeshi workers who want to go to these five countries having BMET clearance issued by the Ministry of Expatriates’ Welfare and Overseas Employment, they will be given priority in going abroad.
However, in the case of these countries, those who have a visit visa, but do not have BMET clearance, will not get priority in going abroad.
Bangladeshis who will go to the UAE for work with a visit visa can get a BMET clearance.
During the lockdown, those who wish to travel to countries other than the five mentioned countries in case of emergency will be able to travel on special flights as transit-passengers subject to clearance from the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
Khaleda’s CT scan report largely good: Doctor
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who was infected with coronavirus, has a very nominal lung infection, said her doctor and party vice chairman AZM Zahid after receiving her provisional HRCT scan report.
Talking to reporters at Evercare Hospital in the city, where the BNP chief underwent the high-resolution CT (HRCT) test, he said the BNP chief’s medical board decided to perform the test to know the exact condition of her chest.
“We’ve already received a provisional report of the test. The report findings suggest her (lung) infection is very nominal. It’s not even at the mild stage. The report is very good,”
He said now the medical board members will add any new medicine, if it is necessary, after discussions. “We need to monitor her condition round the clock as we can’t say how corona will behave tomorrow and the day after tomorrow.”
Zahid said they will observe her condition very meticulously over the next one week so that they can take necessary measures under any circumstances.
He said Khaleda urged people to pray for her speedy recovery.
Also read: Covid-infected Khaleda undergoes CT scan
Asked whether Khaleda is free from danger, he said corona is such a disease no exact prediction can be made in advance. “We can say whether she is in danger or free from danger only after two weeks of her infection.”
He said they have taken all the arrangements for her treatment at a private hospital in case of any emergency.
Earlier, Khaleda underwent an HRCT scan test at Evercare Hospital as she has been suffering from low fever.
She went to the hospital around 9:40pm for the test as per her doctors’ advice, said her media wing member Shamsuddin Didar.
He said the BNP chief left the hospital for her Gulshan residence after the test around 10:25pm.
Earlier, Khaleda’s medical team members visited her and said she was still stable though she has been suffering from a low fever.
Also read: Khaleda suffered from low fever, condition still stable: Doctors
They also advised her to perform a CT scan test on the BNP chief to determine their next course of treatment.
"She had low fever on Wednesday night with around 100 degrees temperature. It’s a new symptom,” said the BNP chief’s medical board head Dr FM Siddiqui.
Talking to reporters at her Gulshan office, he said Khaleda suffered from fever on Thursday morning as well.
“I just checked her chest. Since the chest is clear, we think she’s stable,” the physician said.
He said her sugar level is also under control.
Also read: Khaleda Zia infected with Covid-19
“Today (Thursday) is the seventh day since Madam has got infected and she’s now entering her second week. The complexities of Covid are usually exposed during the second week. That's why we want to be a little more careful,” FM Siddiqui said.
He said if they find the CT scan report good, then they will continue her treatment at home.
The doctor said they will take her to a hospital if there is anything bad in the report. “Our decision depends on the CT scan report.”
Khaleda underwent the Covid test on Saturday last as eight other people at her residence were infected with the virus and her report came out positive.
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government freed Khaleda Zia from jail for six months through an executive order suspending her sentences on March 25 last year.
Also read: Nine infected with coronavirus at BNP chief Khaleda’s house
She was released from the prison cell of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) the same day, and she has been staying at her Gulshan house since then.
On August 27 last year, the government extended her release for six more months and it was extended again for six months on March 15 last.
On February 8, 2018, Khaleda was sent to Old Dhaka Central Jail after a lower court sentenced her to five years’ imprisonment in Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. The High Court later doubled her jail term.
Khaleda was found guilty in another corruption case the same year. Her party claims both the cases are politically motivated.
Covid-infected Khaleda undergoes CT scan
BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who was infected with coronavirus, underwent a CT scan at a city hospital on Thursday night as she has been suffering from low fever.
The BNP chief was taken to Evercare Hospital in the city’s Bashundhara area around 9:40pm for the test as per her doctors’ advice, said her media wing member Shamsuddin Didar.
He said the BNP chief left the hospital for her Gulshan residence after the test around 10:25pm.
Earlier, Khaleda’s medical team members visited her and said she was still stable though she has been suffering from low fever.
They also advised her to perform a CT scan test on the BNP Chief to determine their next course of treatment.
Also read: Khaleda suffered from low fever, condition still stable: Doctors
“She had low fever on Wednesday night with around 100 degrees temperature. It’s a new symptom,” said the BNP chief’s medical board head Dr FM Siddiqui.
Talking to reporters after visiting Khaleda at her Gulshan office, he said Khaleda suffered from fever on Thursday morning as well.
“I just checked her chest. Since the chest is clear, we think she’s stable,” the physician said.
He said her sugar level is also under control.
“Today (Thursday) is the seventh day since Madam has got infected and she’s now entering her second week. The complexities of Covid are usually exposed during the second week. That's why we want to be a little more careful,” FM Siddiqui said.
Also read: Nine infected with coronavirus at BNP chief Khaleda’s house
He said if they find the CT scan report good, then they will continue her treatment at home.
The doctor said they will take her to a hospital if there is anything bad in the report. “Our decision depends on the CT scan report.”
Khaleda underwent the Covid test on Saturday last as eight other people at her residence were infected with the virus and her report came out positive.
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government freed Khaleda Zia from jail for six months through an executive order suspending her sentences on March 25 last year.
She was released from the prison cell of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) the same day, and she has been staying at her Gulshan house since then.
Also read: Khaleda Zia infected with Covid-19
On August 27 last year, the government extended her release for six more months and it was extended again for six months on March 15 last.
On February 8, 2018, Khaleda was sent to Old Dhaka Central Jail after a lower court sentenced her to five years’ imprisonment in Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. The High Court later doubled her jail term.
Khaleda was found guilty in another corruption case the same year. Her party claims both the cases are politically motivated.
Khaleda suffered from low fever, condition still stable: Doctors
The condition of BNP Chairperson Khaleda Zia, who was infected with coronavirus, is still stable, but she is now suffering from low fever, her medical team said Thursday.
The doctors said they have decided to perform a CT scan test on the BNP Chief to determine thr next course of treatment.
“As a new symptom, she had low fever on Wednesday night with around 100 degrees temperature,” said the BNP Chief’s medical board head Dr FM Siddiqui.
Talking to reporters after visiting Khaleda at her Gulshan office, he said Khaleda suffered from fever on Thursday morning as well.
“I just checked her chest. Since the chest is clear, We think she’s stable,” the physician said.
He said her sugar level is also under control.
Also read: Khaleda is strong, stable: FM Siddiqui
“Today (Thursday) is Madam’s seventh day of infection and she’s now entering her second week. The complexities of Covid are usually exposed during the second week. That's why we want to be a little more careful,” FM Siddiqui said.
He said they will conduct her CT scan test within a very short time.
The doctor said they have also made arrangements for the test at a hospital but did not mention its name.
He said if they find the report of the CT scan to be good, then they will continue her treatment at home.
The doctor said they will take her to a hospital if there is anything bad in the report. “Our decision will depend on the CT scan report.” Khaleda underwent the Covid test on Saturday last as eight other people at her residence were infected with the virus and her report came out to be positive.
Amid the coronavirus outbreak, the government freed Khaleda Zia from jail for six months through an executive order suspending her sentences on March 25 last year.
Also read: Nine infected with coronavirus at BNP chief Khaleda’s house
She was released from the prison cell of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) the same day, and she has been staying at her Gulshan house since then.
On August 27 last year, the government extended her release for six more months and it was extended again for six months on March 15 last.
On February 8, 2018, Khaleda was sent to the Old Dhaka Central Jail after a lower court sentenced her to five years’ imprisonment in Zia Orphanage Trust corruption case. The High Court later doubled her jail term.
Khaleda was found guilty in another corruption case the same year. Her party claims both the cases are politically motivated.
Covid-infected Rajshahi MP Fazle Hossain airlifted to Dhaka
Fazle Hossain Badsha, MP of Rajshahi-2 who contracted Covid-19, has been brought to Dhaka from Rajshahi by a MI-17 helicopter of Bangladesh Air Force.
The MP was undergoing treatment at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital and was brought to Dhaka on Thursday after deterioration of his physical condition, says a media release of Inter Service Public Relations (ISPR).
Also read: Covid-19: Bangladesh’s death toll crosses grave milestone of 10,000
Later, he was taken to Dhaka Medical College Hospital for better treatment.
Covid-19 lockdown: Khulna hunkers behind shutters
The busy streets of Khulna city wore a deserted look on Wednesday, with vanishingly few residents seen out in public at the onset of a fresh seven-day lockdown, with stricter enforcement expected of rules that are already stricter in response to the Second Wave of Covid-19.
All shops except for pharmacies and groceries were shut on Wednesday. Even the always-bustling Shibari intersection, known for a chronic bustle, is almost silent.
The streets were empty. There was no public transport except for a few rickshaws and pushcarts.
Those spotted on the sidewalks were people out for shopping or are hospital employees or emergency service workers.
Also read: Fresh lockdown in Bangladesh: Experts skeptical about having any great result
The nationwide new lockdown that started on Wednesday will continue until April 21.
The law enforcers were seen occupying the city intersections. Police teams were also spotted patrolling the streets. Anyone who was out on the street, defying the government-imposed restrictions, was stopped by them.
All the offices in the city are closed now. However, the emergency services are still running. And the emergency service workers are either moving on foot or using their vehicle.
Mofassil Alam, a showroom owner in Moilapota intersection, said: "We have closed our showrooms following the government's restrictions. We will welcome the customers back if there is a new instruction in this connection."
Also read: Bangladesh put under complete lockdown amid Covid spike
Pilot, a tea seller at Shibari intersection, said: "There are not many customers as Ramadan has begun. The lockdown has also begun. So, I've kept my store shut."
Rickshaw puller Md Moni said, "This lockdown has been very harsh on us. My income has collapsed as the first day of the lockdown wears on. What am I going to eat now?"
The cabinet division on Monday issued a notification declaring a strict lockdown to contain the spike in Covid-19 infections.
All offices, public transport, markets, shopping malls, shops, hotels and restaurants will remain closed until midnight on Apr 21. However, factories will remain open and limited banking services will be available.
Bangalees celebrate Pahela Baishakh virtually amid lockdown
The pomp and colour associated with Pahela Baishakh was absent as people celebrated the event virtually for the second consecutive year amid restrictions imposed to contain the transmission of coronavirus.
The first day of Bangla calendar also saw the country shattering its single-day Covid-19 fatalities record.
With a lockdown in place, festivities and cultural events to mark the Bangla New Year were all held virtually.
Symbolic ‘Mangal Shobhajatra-1428’
The marquee events of the day – the traditional ‘Borsho-Boron’ programme by Chhayanaut and the Mangal Shobhajatra parade by the Faculty of Fine Arts, Dhaka University – have all been cancelled.
Also read: After lives & livelihoods: Covid strikes at culture, with Pahela Baishakh forced indoors
Both Chhayanaut and FFA broadcast pre-recorded programmes on national TV.
The Faculty of Fine Arts pre-recorded a unique, symbolic Mangal Shobhajatra for 1428 with the participation of the State Minister for Cultural Affairs and fewer than 20 people.
They showcased their banner and 100 prop items made by students and teachers, including face shields and masks in the symbolic procession.
Online events
Renowned cultural organisations and institutions including Chhayanaut, the Faculty of Fine Arts, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy, Liberation War Museum Bangladesh and many others have observed the day with online festivities and programmes.
Also read: Chhayanaut cancels Pahela Baishakh festivities at Ramna, goes back to virtual celebration with BTV
Chhayanaut had initial plans to arrange and record their programme at the Ramna Park without a live audience at the dawn of April 14, or pre-record the programme before that.
Instead, they broadcast this year’s festivity through a special collaborative programme with Bangladesh Television (BTV) and also on its YouTube channel Chhayanaut Digital - Platform.
Shilpakala Academy also broadcast a live webinar and cultural programme on its official Facebook page and YouTube channel, which was joined by former Cultural Affairs Minister and eminent thespian Asaduzzaman Noor.
Liberation War Museum and Wrishiz Shilpi Goshthi also held online programmes on Facebook on the occasion.
Also read: Google celebrates Pahela Baishakh with new doodle
This year, April 14 also marks the first day of the holy month of Ramadan in Bangladesh and some other Muslim countries in the world.
On the occasion, President Abdul Hamid and Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina issued separate messages greeting the countrymen and all Bangla-speaking people across the globe.
Prime Minister Hasina urged everyone to follow health guidelines and celebrate Pahela Baishakh at home, in the wake of a surge in Covid-19 cases.
Covid-19: Bangladesh reports highest ever single-day deaths with 96
Bangladesh reported 96 deaths during a 24-hour period until Wednesday morning, shattering all of its previous single-day death counts.
The latest fatalities pushed up the local tally to 9,987 since the first death was reported on March 18 last year, a handout from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) said. The mortality rate stood at 1.42 percent.
However, the number of daily cases fell to 5,185 from Tuesday’s 6,028. Bangladesh reported its first coronavirus cases on March 8. Since then, 703,170 cases have been confirmed.
The country has conducted 5,095,613 covid tests, including 24,825 new ones, since the beginning of the outbreak.
Also read: Fresh lockdown in Bangladesh: Experts skeptical about having any great result
The daily infection rate stood at 20.89 percent.
So far, the health authorities reported 591,299 recoveries (84.09 percent), including 5,333 in the last 24 hours.
Daily cases fall, body count rises
Bangladesh saw a spike in the number of daily cases in recent days that was followed by record single-day death counts.
On Wednesday, the country registered its highest number of deaths from the virus for the fourth time in five days. The figure was 69 on Tuesday, 83 on Monday, 78 on Sunday and 77 on Saturday.
Coronavirus claimed 568 lives in January this year, 281 in February and 638 in March.
Hospitals overflowing
The steady rise in new cases put severe pressure on the health system which is struggling to accommodate so many patients.
Of the 96 deaths reported, 94 had died at hospitals and two at home.
Hospitals treating Covid-19 patients in Dhaka and elsewhere are running out of general and ICU beds.
Hospitals in Dhaka metropolitan area have 4,286 general beds and 59 ICU beds. Of them, only 526 general and 12 ICU beds are available, according to DGHS data.
Also read: Bangladesh put under complete lockdown amid Covid spike
Overall, there are 10,614 general beds for treating coronavirus patients in the country and more than half of them (5,688) are occupied.
There are 792 ICU beds in total but only 137 are available at the moment.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, in her new year address, said the ICU facilities are being increased and the areas of coronavirus patient treatment are being expanded.
She said steps have been taken for uninterrupted oxygen supply in public specialised hospitals.
Emphasis on health guidelines
People’s apathy towards health rules has been blamed as one of the main reasons for the sudden rise in coronavirus cases. The infection rate had fallen below 5 percent earlier this year.
Repeated requests of the health experts and the government fell on deaf ears. The people carried on as usual, hardly sticking to basic health rules as they continued to throng shopping malls, places of entertainment and other public gatherings.
Sheikh Hasina urged everyone to be careful and ensure protection for themselves, their family members and neighbours.
“Gatherings have to be avoided and everyone should wear a mask when going outside,” she said. “If everyone follows health guidelines, it’ll be possible to keep the pandemic under control, Inshallah.”
After lives & livelihoods: Covid strikes at culture, with Pahela Baishakh forced indoors
The country will be forced to abandon its traditional Bengali New Year celebration on April 14 for a second consecutive year, as the local outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic witnesses a resurgence, forcing the festive occasion of Pahela Baishakh to be welcomed and celebrated once again through online platforms and symbolic programmes like the last year.
Although millions are bound to be disappointed by the turn of events, most of them would not be surprised that it came to such a pass, where the year 1428 in the Bengali calendar will be ushered in by most people indoors, same as 1427 was a year ago.
With its celebration of the changing of the seasons, rooted in nature through its relation with the spring harvest, and rife with symbolism drawn from the region's flora and fauna, Pahela Baishakh is an essentially outdoor event. No one can look forward to recreating any of its traditional magic in an indoor setting. Besides, Covid restrictions mean very few can even gather under the same roof to be with their near and dear ones at least.
Renowned cultural organizations and institutions including Chhayanaut, the Faculty of Fine Arts (FFA) of Dhaka University, Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA), Liberation War Museum Bangladesh (LWM) and more will observe the day with online-based festivities and programmes, to welcome the new calendar year 1428.
Also read: People’s lives come first: PM Hasina
The marquee events of the dawn are the traditional Borsho-Boron programme by Chhayanaut at Ramna Batamul in the capital and the Mangal Shobhajatra parade of the Faculty of Fine Arts (FFA), Dhaka University, which will not be arranged live this year.
However, both Chhayanaut and FFA have informed UNB that they are going to showcase pre-recorded programmes on national televisions in the morning.
First observed in 1989 by FFA as a colourful procession celebrating the Bengali New Year with the participation of people from all walks of life, the annual Mangal Shobhajatra has received the recognition of UNESCO as an intangible cultural heritage on November 30, 2016.
With the theme "Kal Bhoyankorer Beshe, Abar Oi Ashe Sundor", FFA was forwarding to celebrate this year's procession and started preparation for making props on April 6, as it could not organize the parade last year due to the lockdown and COVID-19 restrictions.
Also read: Bangladesh’s complete lockdown set to begin on Apr 14; notification issued
Unfortunately, plans for organizing the large procession this year had to be cut down, and instead of cancelling the event, FFA has pre-recorded a symbolic programme at the premises of the Faculty of Fine Arts.
"Initially, the Dhaka University authorities decided to arrange a symbolic event on FFA premises on the day of Pahela Baishakh, as it has always been culturally very significant and this year marks the Golden Jubilee of our Independence. As per the government's directive regarding the lockdown restrictions to curve the ongoing pandemic, we decided and pre-recorded a symbolic Mangal Shobhajatra for 1428 on a very limited scale at the premises of FFA with the participation of our State Minister for Cultural Affairs and fewer than 20 people, showcasing our banner and 100 prop items made by our students and teachers including face shields and masks," Nisar Hossain, Dean of the FFA, told UNB on Tuesday.
The press and electronic media were not allowed to broadcast the recording, however, The DU authority will provide a video and press elements of the programme to the press and electronic media tomorrow, he informed.
Also read: Covid-19 in Bangladesh: 69 more die, 6,028 infected
On Monday, Chhayanaut general secretary Laisa Ahmed Lisa stated, “As we could not celebrate Pahela Baishakh 1427 through arranging our traditional cultural festivity under the banyan tree at Ramna Park, we had been preparing and rehearsing to organize the festivity this year without the crowd at the venue and also we had plans to pre-record the programme if the situation restricts us to arrange on that day. Sadly, as we have been observing the recent surge of the pandemic and also as some of our artists are being infected with COVID-19 - we have decided to broadcast this year’s festivity through a special collaborative programme with Bangladesh Television (BTV) as last year."
“The programme will broadcast from 7 am to 8 am, and it will be showcasing a compilation of some of the new and previous performances of Chhayanaut artists, and this year we are featuring performances focusing on the Golden Jubilee of our glorious Independence. Aside from BTV, Chhayanaut will also broadcast the programme on its YouTube Channel Chhayanaut Digital - Platform," she added.
Also read: Chhayanaut cancels Pahela Baishakh festivities at Ramna, goes back to virtual celebration with BTV
Bangladesh Shilpakala Academy (BSA) will broadcast a live webinar and cultural programme on its official Facebook page and YouTube channel from 11 pm onwards, which is scheduled to be joined by former Cultural Affairs Minister and eminent thespian Asaduzzaman Noor as its chief guest.
BSA Director General Liaquat Ali Lucky will preside over the virtual event, which will also be joined by prominent eductator and writer prof Syed Manzoorul Islam as the speaker and renowned cultural personalities including Nazrul Sangeet maestro Khairul Anam Shakil, folk singer Akramul Islam, Rabindra Sangeet singer Lily Islam, performing students from the Govt Music College and more.
Liberation War Museum (LWM) will also broadcast a virtual programme on its official Facebook page at 11 am.
Also read: Pahela Baishakh celebrated without outdoor programmes
Wrishiz Shilpi Goshthi will arrange an online programme on Facebook as well. It will be broadcast at 9 am on Pahela Baishakh, according to legendary folk icon Fakir Alamgir, President of the cultural group.
Earlier, the government restricted all sorts of outdoor celebrations of Pahela Baishakh and asked to organize virtual events for online celebrations. Therefore, all the major outdoor celebrations of Pahela Baishakh are called off for the second consecutive year due to the COVID-19 outbreak.
This year, April 14 also marks the first day of Ramadan in Bangladesh and some other Muslim countries in the world.
Lockdown: 60,000 people register for movement pass
Sixty-thousand applicants have registered for the movement pass until Tuesday evening, a police clearance which will be needed to travel during the strict lockdown that begins Wednesday.
Around 30,000 passes have been issued by 6:30 pm, said sources at the Police Headquarters. Since the launching of the app, around 600,000 people visited the site for the pass, it said.
Among them, around 60,000 completed registration by that time.
Inspector-General of Police Benazir Ahmed inaugurated the movement pass app.
Also read: Police to issue movement pass during lockdown
“Five thousand applications have been submitted in just one hour. Anyone planning to go outside Dhaka will require the pass,” the police chief said.
Conditional permission will be granted for a specified period of time.
Who’s eligible for a movement pass
According to Police Headquarters, the pass will be required to go out during lockdown in case of emergency.
People going for official work, getting Covid-19 vaccine jab, grocery shopping, going to kitchen markets and medicine shops are eligible for the pass.
Those going to receive medical services, joining agricultural works, goods transportation, supply, relief materials supply, burial or cremation activities among others, will also require the pass.
Also read: Bangladesh’s complete lockdown set to begin on Apr 14; notification issued
How to apply for movement pass
A pass can be used once. People will need separate passes every time they travel during the lockdown.
To register, one has to visit movementpass.police.gov.bd, and put his or her mobile phone number. They will be redirected to a page where one has to enter her/his date of birth.
From there, the applicant will be redirected to another page where detailed information will have to be entered.
Necessary information
People need to enter their name, gender, age, reason for movement, date and time of movement, information about vehicles and their photo.
Also read: People’s lives come first: PM Hasina
However, all are not allowed to have the pass. Only those who have emergency reasons for movement will be granted it.
The government is going to enforce a nationwide strict lockdown on Wednesday to curb the Coronavirus transmission.