land borders with India
Border with India to remain shut for 14 days: FM
Bangladesh has decided to close its border with India for any kind of movement except that of cargoes for the next 14 days from Monday (April 26, 2021) to control the spread of the deadly Coronavirus.
"Yes, but the movement of cargoes carrying goods will continue," Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen told UNB over the phone on Sunday.
The decision taken against the backdrop of the worsening covid-19 situation will become effective from 6am on Monday.
As per the decision, general movements of humans between Bangladesh and India will temporarily stay suspended through the land ports.
The Bangladeshi citizens currently travelling to India for treatment and having visas with validity for less than 15 days could enter Bangladesh through only Benapole, Akhaura and Burimari after taking permission from Bangladesh Missions in New Delhi, Kolkata, and Agartala and with a mandatory Covid-negative certificate done through PCR test within seventy-two hours of entry.
Also read: Covid-19 in Bangladesh: Daily deaths shoot past 100; new cases fall dramatically
People entering Bangladesh through this process would have to stay officially quarantined for two weeks.
Except for the aforementioned three land ports, all kinds of human movements through all other land ports between the two countries would completely stay suspended for two weeks.
The vehicles carrying imported goods from India would have to be properly sterilised before entering Bangladesh borders.
The drivers and helpers concerned would have to observe the Covid-19 safety protocol strictly.
Railroads will be encouraged for export and import of goods between the two countries in this period.
Also read: Shutting border with India: Experts praise it as prudent decision
Bangladesh Missions in New Delhi, Kolkata and Agartala would convey the relevant information in this regard to the authorities concerned in India in the light of the friendly relations between the two countries.
The above decisions will be in effect for two weeks and will be revised in due time, said the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
The decisions have been taken in an inter-ministerial meeting chaired by the Foreign Secretary (Senior Secretary) Masud Bin Momen and attended by High Commissioner of Bangladesh to India; Secretary, Security Services Division, Ministry of Home Affairs; Secretary (East), Ministry of Foreign Affairs; Additional Secretary, Cabinet Division; and representatives of PMO, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Home Affairs, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Commerce, BGB and Bangladesh Missions in Kolkata and Agartala.
Bangladesh is operating special flights to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait, Bahrain and Singapore to facilitate departure of expatriate workers to those countries.
India’s crematoriums and burial grounds are being overwhelmed by the devastating new surge of infections tearing through the populous country with terrifying speed, depleting the supply of life-saving oxygen to critical levels and leaving patients to die while waiting in line to see doctors, reports AP from New Delhi.
Also read: India's COVID-19 tally nearing 17 mln
For the fourth straight day, India on Sunday set a global daily record for new infections, spurred by an insidious, new variant that emerged here, undermining the government’s premature claims of victory over the pandemic.
The 349,691 confirmed cases over the past day brought India’s total to more than 16.9 million, behind only the United States.
The Indian Health Ministry reported another 2,767 deaths in the past 24 hours, pushing India’s Covid-19 fatalities to 192,311.
Experts say that toll could be a huge undercount, as suspected cases are not included, and many deaths from the infection are being attributed to underlying conditions, according to AP.
Coronavirus: BNP urges govt to shut borders with India
BNP on Saturday urged the government to close the country's land borders with India as the neighbouring country is witnessing a serious outbreak of coronavirus.
“The coronavirus infection has sharply increased in India...a terrible situation has been prevailing there due to the prevalence of new variants. Our citizens have to travel to India by road and air for various reasons, including business and treatment,” said party Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.
Speaking at a virtual press conference, he said, “West Bengal has the highest number of virus infections. So, we think, the land borders with India need to be closed completely.”
Fakhrul also opposed the government’s decision of keeping the inbound air passengers in quarantine for only three days instead of two weeks.
He said no country in the world cut the duration of institutional quarantine to three days for international travellers.
Also read: Bangladesh’s Covid death toll nears 11,000 as cases surge
The BNP leader alleged that the government’s whimsical decisions only contribute to the deteriorating Covid situation.
He said many people had returned to their village homes before the government enforced the lockdown. “As the government is going to allow shops and shopping malls to reopen from Sunday, these people are again returning to Dhaka and they’ll go back to their village homes before the upcoming eid. As a result, the virus will spread badly across the country.”
The BNP leader said they have long been advising the government to take a coordinated plan and roadmap to tackle the coronavirus situation. “But the government is not paying heed to it.”
He also said the government has failed to enforce the ongoing lockdown in the country as it has not taken any step to feed the low-income people and destitute. “Forcing people to stay home without giving them food and money is inhumane and meaningless."
Fakhrul suggested the government to announce a seven-point incentive package for those affected by the second wave of coronavirus and the lockdown.
Also read: 25 Covid patients die in Delhi hospital
The party’s seven proposals are giving a one-time cash of Tk 15,000 for three months to each day-labourer and the low-income people who are badly affected by the lockdown, providing each worker of the informal sector with a one-time cash of Tk 15,000 for three months, bringing all the poor under the 'protection assistance' package, fairly preparing a list of disadvantaged beneficiaries of government's assistance, announcing special incentives for SMEs, institutional and informal industries and agriculture sector, and disbursing loans from the state exchequer to the affected industrialists, entrepreneurs and expatriates without political consideration.
Fakhrul also urged the government to implement a Tk 87,000 crore incentive package presented by their party last year to deal with the fallouts of the coronavirus pandemic.
He also called for taking a comprehensive plan based on national unity to tackle the coronavirus and its adverse impact since the entire nation is passing through a critical time.
The BNP leader alleged that the government’s wayward attitude over the coronavirus vaccine collection and uncertainties over getting the jabs from India have frustrated the entire nation.
He alleged that the ‘corrupt’ government has put the entire nation at a serious health risk ‘with its move to facilitate a pro-government business institution in importing the vaccine’.
Also read: BNP for 'all-party committee' to stop Covid surge
Fakhrul said the crisis over the vaccine was created as the government depended on a single source. “From the very beginning, we’ve repeatedly talked about procuring the vaccines from alternative sources alongside India. But nothing was done in this regard, creating the vaccine crisis.”
He accused the government of arresting BNP leaders and activists and alem-ulema by launching a crackdown in the name of enforcing a countrywide lockdown.
The BNP leader also said the government is trying to suppress people by implicating them in different cases under repressive laws like the Digital Security Act so that no one dares talk about its misdeeds, corruption, repression and 'fascist' rule.
Fakhrul urged BNP leaders and activists to stand by the poor and destitute to ease their sufferings at this bad time of the coronavirus pandemic.
Referring to media reports, he said the country’s food security will be at stake as the government has no adequate food stock.
Under the circumstances, the BNP leader urged the government to immediately start procuring paddy from farmers after fixing a fair price and expedite the OMS program to ensure rice at a lower price for poor people.