Coronavirus lockdown
Covid getting deadlier in Bangladesh; record-high 153 die in 24 hours
The second wave of Covid-19 in Bangladesh is getting much deadlier with 153 more people losing lives to the virus in 24 hours till Sunday morning, pushing up the total death toll to 15,065.
With this, the daily-death record was shattered thrice in the country within eight days as 143 deaths were reported on July1 and 119 on June 27.
During the period, 8,661 more Covid cases were detected after testing 29,879 samples, overwhelming the country’s healthcare system quickly.
This raises the country's case positivity rate during the period to 28.99% from Saturday’s 27.39%, according to a handout provided by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
However, the fatality rate remained static at 1.59%
With the fresh cases, Bangladesh’s caseload mounted to 944,917 today, said the DGHS.
So far, 833,897 people have recovered from the virus infections, putting the recovery rate at 88.25%.
Khulna division today recorded 51 deaths while Dhaka saw 46. Besides, 15 people each in Chattogram and Rangpur, 12 in Rajshahi, nine in Mymensingh, three in Barishal and two in Sylhet divisions died of Covid-19 today.
The country saw 2,404 Covid deaths in April, 1,169 in May and 1,884 in June, marking those the most fatal months of this year.
Also, July was the most fatal month of 2020, reporting 1,264 deaths followed by 1,197 deaths in June that year.
Also read: Khulna logs record 46 single-day Covid deaths
Herd immunity unlikely anytime soon
Although its study suggests around 71 percent of Dhaka city dwellers have already gained antibodies for coronavirus, an icddr,b scientist says herd immunity threshold is still out of reach in Bangladesh’s capital, let alone the whole country to reach it.
Dr Rubhana Raqib, a senior scientist at the International Centre for Diarrhoeal Disease Research, Bangladesh (icddr,b), also says it may not be possible to attain the long-term herd immunity for Covid-19 as long as the virus continues to mutate as she thinks highly contagious new variants can break people’s immune protection gained either from the previous infections or vaccination.
In a recent interview with UNB, she also said it is generally assumed that Covid-19 may remain active like influenza and other flues for a long time and it is quite possible that people will need to receive the vaccine at a regular interval until the virus loses its mutation or virulence capability.
icddr,b conducted a study titled “Driving Factors of Covid-19 in Slums and Non-Slum Areas of Dhaka and Chittagong,” between October 2020 and February 2021 to evaluate the extent of the spread of the virus in the slum and non-slum communities of the two cities.
Lockdown: Police arrest 621 for violations on Dhaka streets
Police arrested 621 people for being on the streets in capital Dhaka in violation of a strictly-enforced lockdown on its third day Saturday.
The arrestees were picked up while roaming in different parts of the city, said Additional Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Iftekhairul Islam.
He also said that Tk 19,22,350 was collected in penalties from vehicles across the capital under the Road Transport Act.
Also read: Covid-19: Bangladesh records 100+ daily deaths for one week
However, the officer did not provide any information on the total number of vehicles sued.
Besides, mobile courts slapped fines on 346 people collecting an amount of Tk 106450.
Despite a vigilant position by the law enforcers, the number of both people and vehicles taking to the streets increased a bit on the third day of lockdown.
Also read: Lockdown: Third day sees more people, vehicles on roads, 184 detained
Traffic Inspector Akter Hossain (Rajlaxmi Uttara), said “The number of vehicles is higher than the last two days but we are also active and allowing only those who have valid reasons to come out.”
The government imposed a seven-day lockdown from July 1 to contain a surge of Covid-19 infections across the country. It will continue until July 7 midnight.
Two mosques present two pictures of adherence to guidelines
No mosque in Dhaka, sometimes called the City of Mosques, has gone as far as cancelling Friday’s Jummah prayer. All that is really expected of them is to follow the government guidelines on social distancing amidst the coronavirus outbreak.
Visiting two mosques in the capital, two different scenarios have been captured by the UNB photographers.
A relatively small number of devotees at the Baitul Mukarram National Mosque have offered Jummah prayer maintaining social distance.
Covid-19 burials: Quantum volunteers working through this lockdown too
The Quantum Foundation, one of the voluntary organizations in the country, is actively involved in the burials of coronavirus victims, even amidst an all-out lockdown across the country.
Thousands of Quantum volunteers are working 24 hours a day or night for the burial of the deceased, regardless of religion, said a press release from Quantum Foundation.
Despite the lockdown, relentless humanitarian service activities are going on all over the country including the capital.
Khandaker Sajibul Islam, who is in charge of Quantum Burial in Kakrail, said, "We were able to bury 20 bodies of coronavirus victim in Dhaka till night on the first day of the nationwide lockdown on July 1."
Also read: Covid-19: Bangladesh sees 132 more daily deaths, 8,483 cases
Quantum Foundation workers have buried nearly 4,000 bodies since 2020.
Quantum has been working for the burials of bodies with coronavirus or corona symptoms since the beginning of Corona in April, 2020.
Lockdown: 320 held for violating lockdown rules on Day 2
Police arrested 320 people from capital Dhaka for violating lockdown restrictions on Friday.
The arrestees were sued under the DMP Ordinance with different police stations of the capital from Friday morning till 5pm, confirmed Additional Deputy Commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Iftekhairul Islam.
Also, mobile courts fined 208 people on the second day of "stringent lockdown."
Moreover, 68 vehicles were sued and fined Tk 1,19,900 during this time.
Also read: Covid-19: Bangladesh sees 132 more daily deaths, 8,483 cases
According to the latest information on traffic, a total of 219 cases have been filed and fines of Tk. 5,45,500 for violating lockdown restriction on Friday.
Meanwhile, Army personnel were also seen patrolling the streets of Dhaka, as the government scrambles to bring the Covid-19 situation under control.
Though there were fewer private and commercial vehicles on the main roads as compared to Thursday, rickshaws that provide last-mile connectivity to the residents were seen plying at many places.
Also read: Lockdown: Dhaka dons deserted look on Day 2
Police and Rapid Action Battalion members were seen monitoring the movement of vehicles and people after setting up check-posts in different areas of the capital on the 2nd day of the lockdown.
Earlier, the law enforcers detained 373 people and arrested 550 people from different areas of the capital till 5pm on Thursday, said police sources.
Bangladesh entered a stringent lockdown, with patrol teams in the streets to convince people to stay home from Thursday.
Covid swallowing people in Bangladesh; 132 more die
As Covid-19 cases keep surging at a breakneck speed across Bangladesh, the country reported more than 100 deaths for the sixth straight day until early Friday, after confirming its first fatality on March 18 last year.
The new number, 132 deaths, took the country's toll to 14,778. Bangladesh reported 143 deaths on Thursday, its highest-ever daily fatality from the pandemic, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Also, 8,483 people were diagnosed with the disease from 30,012 sample tests in the preceding 24 hours, bringing the country's caseload since the beginning of the pandemic to 930,042. Bangladesh reported its highest single-day cases of 8,822 on Wednesday.
The country's test positivity rate reached the peak at 28.27%, which was 25.90% on Thursday and 24.87% on August 4 last year.
Also read: Lockdown: Dhaka dons deserted look on Day 2
Also, new infections have been averaging nearly 7,000 for the past few days – 99% of the peak. The highest daily average was reported on April 9.
Scientific evidence to guide decision on SSC, HSC exams: Dipu Moni
The decision on SSC, HSC, and equivalent exams will be taken soon in a scientific and controlled manner, Education Minister Dipu Moni said Wednesday.
"We make decisions based on the advice of the National Advisory Committee on Covid-19," she said.
Talking about the demand to reopen educational institutions, the minister said, "We cannot put the lives of students at risk now by bringing them back to classrooms when the Covid-19 situation is getting worse in the country."
Also read: Bangladesh sees record high daily Covid cases of 8,822; 115 more die
"The educational life of students has been turned upside down by the pandemic all over the world. However, it would be unscientific to reopen educational institutions until the infection rate drops to 5% or below that. The current test positive rate is 24% in Bangladesh; it is even 50% or more in some districts," Dipu Moni said.
Realme to provide home delivery amid lockdown
Youth-focused brand realme will provide home delivery service amid the nationwide "stick lockdown."
Realme has launched a home delivery service for its fans and users so that they do not need to step out of their homes, risking their lives.
Read: Realme to bring G85 gaming processor-equipped phone C25s
To get home delivery, customers can click on www.realme.com/bd/store-address to get the number of their nearby outlet. Next, they will have to make a phone call to get their desired realme smartphone at their doorstep, free of delivery charge.
Read realme narzo 20 review: Best Features, Specs and Price phone in Bangladesh 2021
Smartphone enthusiasts can get home delivery service for any realme smartphone, read a press release.
Appellate Division proceedings to continue virtually during lockdown; regular judicial work to be curtailed
During the nationwide strict lockdown from Thursday, regular court proceedings across the country including the Supreme Court will remain closed.
However, for emergency cases the chamber judge of the Appellate Division, three single benches of the High Court division and a magistrate each in the chief judicial magistrate court in each district and the chief metropolitan magistrate court in the metropolitan area would be available to serve until further orders.
The Appellate Division will also conduct proceedings remotely from home on two days during the initial 7-day lockdown.
The court officials and employees were instructed not to leave the workstation during this time.
Signed by Registrar General of the Supreme Court Md. Ali Akbar, separate notifications to this effect were issued Wednesday.
Also read: Govt outlines restriction rules ahead of ‘tough’ lockdown
The Appellate Division to go virtual
Amid the lockdown, the judges of the Appellate Division have decided to keep the virtual court open on July 6 and 7, from their respective homes.
For this, the concerned lawyers were asked to keep the case documents in their respective homes. They were told to stay at home to hear the case. For this, two officers of the Appellate Division were also instructed to join the court virtually from home.
However, the lawyers were asked to contact the Registrar General of the Supreme Court, the Registrar of the Appellate Division and the High Court Division and the Special Officer of the Supreme Court regarding any hearing in the chamber court.
Three HC benches to conduct
Although the normal trial was suspended due to the lockdown, the High Court Division would hear emergency cases virtually from July 1 until further orders.
Three benches of Justic Enayetur Rahim, Justice J. B. M. Hassan and Justice Muhammad Khurshid Alam Sarkar would conduct according to jurisdiction.
Also read: Violation of lockdown rules to invite legal action, warns DMP
Magistrate court open
Although the normal judicial work would remain closed in all the courts, due to a constitutional obligation there will be a magistrate for the Chief Judicial Magistrate in each district and the Chief Metropolitan Magistrate in the metropolitan areas.
However, Dhaka, Chattogram and Rajshahi divisions, being the busiest, were instructed to have one or more magistrates.
The notification instructed the judges and court officials not to leave their workstations.
At the same time, lawyers and litigants were asked not to come to the court premises during the lockdown.
Child to appeared directly in court
Due to a constitutional obligation a child involved in a conflict could be presented before a magistrate physically at the court.
Stringent lockdown: Biman's domestic flights suspended till July 7
Biman Bangladesh Airlines has suspended all domestic flights for seven days, from July 1 to 7, as the country enters "strict lockdown" early Thursday to tackle the rising tide of Covid-19 cases and fatalities.
However, the national flag carrier will operate a limited number of flights – from Dhaka to Chattogram, Sylhet and Cox's Bazar – for providing transit to international passengers.
Also read: Govt outlines restriction rules ahead of ‘tough’ lockdown
Passengers of the suspended flights can travel later with the same tickets, subject to vacancies, without paying extra charges, Biman Deputy General Manager (Public Relations) Tahera Khondoker said Wednesday.
Bangladesh's Covid-19 situation is getting from bad to worse. It reported a record-high number of daily Covid-19 infections after confirming its first cases on March 8 last year in the past 24 hours till Wednesday morning.
Also read: Violation of lockdown rules to invite legal action, warns DMP
The country, battling to get a second coronavirus wave under control, also reported more than 100 deaths for a fourth straight day.
The new 8,822 cases have pushed the country's caseload to 9,13,258, and 115 fatalities brought its toll to 14,503.