Amid an alarming surge in Covid-19 cases in the city, authorities have extended the ongoing lockdown in Rajshahi by one more week. The decision to extend the lockdown till June 24 to break the chain of Covid-19 transmission in the city was taken at a meeting held at Rajshahi Circuit House on Wednesday night. Read: 13 more Covid patients die at Rajshahi hospital "No improvement in the Covid-19 situation has been witnessed in the past six days in Rajshahi. The Covid positivity rate fluctuates but the mortality rate remains the same. That’s why the lockdown has been extended,” Rajshahi City Corporation Mayor Khairuzzaman Liton, who chaired the meeting, told reporters. A seven-day lockdown was first imposed in Rajshahi on June 11. The lockdown was to end on June 17 midnight. Read: Lockdown/Lock-in: Rajshahi taken off rail network to fight surge in infections Deputy Commissioner of Rajshahi, Abdul Jalil said, “Rajshahi city will be detached from the other parts of the district during the lockdown, which will come into force on Thursday morning. No one will be allowed to enter or exit the city." During the lockdown, all modes of public transport will stay off the roads. However, the movement restrictions won't apply on vehicles providing emergency services. Read: 16 more Covid patients die at Rajshahi hospital Moreover, all shops, markets and restaurants will remain closed, except for grocery stores and pharmacies. This is to allow people to buy their daily essentials and medicines from their local grocers and chemists, respectively. On Tuesday, the health authorities in Rajshahi reported 162 new Covid cases after testing 373 samples in two laboratories of the district. The positivity rate reached 43.44 percent, which was 30.17 percent on Monday, officials said.

Authorities have extended the ongoing lockdown in the Natore and Singra municipal areas of Natore district by one more week to stem the spread of Covid-19. A sudden surge in the infection rate, from 20 per cent to a whopping 60 per cent, in recent days, forced the district administration to extend the lockdown in the two municipal areas. Read:14-day lockdown in Damurhuda to contain Covid spread The lockdown will remain in force till June 22, said deputy commissioner Mohammad Shahriaz. Earlier, on June 8, the authorities decided to enforce a week-long lockdown in the two municipal areas from June 9 to contain the spread of Covid-19. During the lockdown, all modes of public transport will stay off the roads. However, the movement restrictions won't apply on vehicles providing emergency services. Read: Indefinite lockdown in Magura city and Mohammadpur Upazila from Sunday Moreover, all shops, markets and restaurants will remain closed, except for grocery stores and pharmacies. This is to allow people to buy their daily essentials and medicines from their local grocers and chemists, respectively. Amid a desperate bid to procure vaccines for all, Bangladesh on Monday reported 54 fresh coronavirus-related deaths and 3,050 new cases in 24 hours -- both record figures in a month. Read: Week-long lockdown in Kushtia municipality areas to contain Covid spread The country last recorded 56 deaths on May 9 and a record 3,031 cases on April 27. With the new numbers, the country's total caseload and deaths have now reached 8,29,972 and 13,172, respectively, according to the Directorate General of Health Services.

The restrictions on movement are likely to be relaxed to some extent from April 28, two weeks before the Eid-ul-Fitr, the biggest religious festival of the Muslims. But there has not been any final decision yet and it is not clear right now to which extent the restrictions will be slackened. “The decision will be taken on April 28,” State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain told UNB. Read Extension of lockdown causing anxiety among low income earners  “Even if the restrictions are relaxed, we’ll have to properly maintain health guidelines and the government will ensure strict implementation of ‘no mask, no service’ policy,” he said. State Minister Farhad said health guidelines will be ensured after the shops and shopping malls are opened from April 25. “Covid infections can be kept in check if all of us follow health guidelines, wear masks and maintain recommended physical distancing,” he said. “We’ll get a positive result if we follow the restrictions until April 28. We’re focusing on health rules.” Also read: Govt issues circular extending lockdown until April 28 No decision on public transport Asked what the relaxed lockdown will look like, State Minister Farhad said there won’t be many restrictions. “The existing ones will be limited. There’ll be guidelines for daily life,” he said. A circular will be issued within April 28 on the operation of offices. Farhad said they are discussing the public transport issue. “There hasn’t been any decision yet. But once they resume, we’ll ensure that health rules are strictly followed,” he noted. Read More people, vehicles on Dhaka roads in defiance of lockdown rules