Covid-safety protocols
Will fight and win, Hasina on war against Covid
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said that Bangladesh is firm in its resolve to fight and win the war against Covid-19.
"We have been fighting against the Covid-19 pandemic for more than one year now. We have lost many close ones in this fight. But we have to attain victory in this fight and we will win, Inshallah,” she said on Tuesday.
Read:Working to build a service-oriented administration: PM Hasina
Hasina again urged all the countrymen to strictly follow all the Covid-safety protocols like wearing masks and maintaining social distancing in the fight against coronavirus.
The Prime Minister said these while extending her greetings to the people of the country on the occasion of the holy Eid-ul-Azha, the biggest festival of the Muslims, to be celebrated on Wednesday.
Read:Help achieve green recovery of CVF-V20 countries: Hasina to developed nations
In a video message broadcast on Bangladesh TV and other media outlets this morning, Hasina also urged all to work for the welfare of the country and its people imbued with the spirit of sacrifice taught through Qurbani.
The Prime Minister extended Eid greetings to all the citizens of Bangladesh at home and abroad, and prayed for the eternal salvation of the departed souls who lost their lives to Covid.
Capital chokes as public transport services resume
Public transport services resumed in Bangladesh on Thursday, with the government easing the lockdown curbs for a week ahead of the Muslim festival of Eid-ul-Azha.
A reality check by UNB in Dhaka revealed that several buses left their depots in the morning and were plying on several busy stretches of the national capital -- Mirpur Road, Uttara, Banani, New Market and Mohakhali areas to name a few.
Buses -- both intra-city and inter-district -- were, however, seen carrying passengers with 50 percent of their seating capacity. But such was the morning rush that several areas of the city witnessed traffic snarls, giving commuters a harrowing time on the roads.
Read:Public transports go off streets, malls shut as ’ strict lockdown’ begins in Bangladesh
Abu Raihan Mohammad Saleh, joint commissioner (traffic north) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said, “Due to the strict lockdown, many people couldn't step out of their houses. As soon as the lockdown restrictions were eased, people took full advantage of the same."
"However, police and other law enforcement agencies are keeping a strict vigil on the roads to ensure strict adherence to all Covid-safety protocols," he added.
A number of inter-district buses entering and exiting the city also contributed to the traffic jams.
Traffic Inspector Akter Hossain said, “A huge pressure of vehicles has been seen since morning as all vehicles have started plying on the roads.”
Besides, train and launch services also resumed operations across the country, keeping 50 percent of the seats empty, apparently to facilitate the movement of people ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.
On July 12, Railways Minister Md Nurul Islam Sujon said that the train tickets will be available online only to avoid any rush at the counters.
On June 22, authorities suspended the movement of all passenger vessels in Narayanganj, Gazipur, Munshiganj, Manikganj, Madaripur, Rajbari and Gopalganj to curb the spread of Covid in these districts.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) announced its decision to suspend the movement of launches, speed boats and trawlers on June 21, following the Cabinet Division’s circular on the imposition of lockdown in these seven districts.
However, the restrictions won't apply on the movement of cargo vessels and emergency services. And legal action will be taken against violators, according to the BIWTA notification.
Read: Bangladesh eases lockdown restrictions ahead of Eid
On July 13, the Bangladesh government decided to ease all lockdown restrictions in the country for eight days ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.
In a notification on Tuesday morning, the Cabinet Division said that the lockdown restrictions would be lifted from July 14 midnight to the morning of July 23.
However, strict restrictions will resume from July 23 and will continue till August 5, as per the order.
Launch services resume in Keraniganj
Launch services resumed here on Thursday morning, with the government easing the lockdown curbs for a week ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.
On Wednesday, State Minister for Shipping Khalid Mahmud Chowdhury visited Sadarghat Launch Terminal and asked the authorities to ensure that all passengers comply with Covid-safety protocols.
Read:Now mad rush to return to Dhaka; river terminals overcrowded again
“Everyone should follow health safety guidelines and those found without a mask will be fined,” he had said.
Khalid had also urged the launch owners and officials of the Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) to remain alert in view of the worsening Covid situation in the country.
On July 13, the Bangladesh government decided to ease all lockdown restrictions in the country for eight days ahead of Eid-ul-Azha.
In a notification on Tuesday morning, the cabinet division said that the lockdown restrictions would be lifted from July 14 midnight to the morning of July 23.
Read: 5 die in stampede, heatstroke at Banglabazar ferry terminal
However, strict restrictions will resume from July 23 and will continue till August 5, as per the order.
A record rise in the number of Covid cases and fatalities in recent days prompted the government to enforce a nationwide stringent lockdown.
All modes of public transport, including the road, river, rail and air, remained suspended during the lockdown.
On June 22, the authorities suspended the movement of all passenger vessels in Narayanganj, Gazipur, Munshiganj, Manikganj, Madaripur, Rajbari and Gopalganj to curb the spread of Covid in these districts.
Read: Homebound people flock at launch and bus terminals dreading ‘lockdown’
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) announced its decision to suspend the movement of launches, speed boats and trawlers on June 21, following the Cabinet Division’s circular on the imposition of lockdown in these seven districts.
However, the restrictions won't apply on the movement of cargo vessels and emergency services. And legal action will be taken against violators, according to the BIWTA notification.
Weeklong strict restrictions imposed in Khulna
Strict restrictions have been imposed in at least four upazilas of Khulna for a week in view of a sudden surge in Covid-19 cases in the district.
According to the District Committee on Coronavirus Prevention, the restrictions will continue till June 10.
All shops, markets and shopping malls will remain closed in Rupsha, Khulna Sadar, Sonadanga and Khalishpur upazilas to break the chain of Covid-19 transmission.
Read:Satkhira put under 7-day strict lockdown
Local administration officials and police personnel have been deployed on all the major roads of the district to ensure people maintain the health guidelines.
A reality check by UNB on Friday, however, revealed that many people were visiting the busy marketplaces without wearing masks. And none was found adhering to social distancing rules.
Khulna Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Helal Hossain on Wednesday decided to impose restrictions in the four upazilas, after a meeting with the District Committee on Coronavirus Prevention in the presence of Khulna Mayor Talukder Abdul Khaleq.
The city mayor said that no gathering would be allowed in the corporation areas after dark. All city residents have been instructed to adhere to Covid-safety protocols.
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.
Read:Lockdown in 7 villages of Chuadanga
The rate of coronavirus infection in Rupsha upazila is 4.18%, while it's about one percent in the other upazilas. Besides, the infection rate in Khulna, Khalishpur and Sonadanga is 35%, 25% and 16%, respectively. Infection rates are declining elsewhere.
Lockdown in districts
Due to the recent rise in Covid infections in the bordering districts, district administrations have imposed lockdowns in Rajshahi, Khulna, Satkhira and parts of Naogaon districts to break the transmission of the deadly virus.
District administrations have been given the authority to enforce lockdown in their areas if the Covid-19 situation deteriorates there.
Situation in Bangladesh
Bangladesh on Thursday recorded 30 new coronavirus-related deaths and some 1,687 fresh cases in 24 hours.
Health authorities detected the new cases after testing 16,982 samples during the period. The number of tests has also increased over the past one week.
Read:Covid-19: Strict restrictions imposed in Rajshahi, parts of Khulna, Naogaon
With the new cases, the country's total caseload has risen to 8,05,980, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The new deaths have pushed up the fatality count to 12,724.
Bangladesh reported its first coronavirus cases on March 8 last year and the first death on the 18th of that month.
Bus services resume in Bangladesh cities
Bus services resumed in cities across Bangladesh, including capital Dhaka, on Thursday, albeit with a limited number of passengers.
However, inter-district bus services will remain suspended in the country during the lockdown period. The lockdown-related movement restrictions have been imposed by the government to break the chain of Covid-19 infections in Bangladesh.
Also Read: Lockdown to continue until May 16, intra-district public transport services from May 6
A reality check by UNB in Dhaka revealed that several buses left their depots in the morning and were plying on several key stretches of the capital -- Mirpur Road, Begum Rokeya Sarani, Uttara, Banani and Mohakhali, to name a few.
Like buses, other public transport vehicles like microbuses were also seen plying on the capital's roads and carrying passengers, but with 50 percent of their seating capacity.
People were seen using public transport, strictly adhering to all Covid-safety protocols.
Police said they were keeping a strict vigil on all public transport vehicles and taking action against passengers found without masks or flouting social distancing norms.
Traffic inspector Asaduzzaman said, "Bus services have resumed in the city since morning and we are checking each and every bus to ensure that all passengers maintain all Covid-safety protocols."
UNB's Cumilla correspondent reports: Buses left almost all the terminals in the district, including Shashangacha, Jangalia and Chakbazar, early in the morning. And no passengers were allowed to board the bus without masks.
Public transport services were suspended in Bangladesh on April 5, with the government announcing a countrywide lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus.
However, the government partially resumed the operations of city bus services on April 7 only to suspend the same with the imposition of the countrywide complete lockdown from April 14.
The transport owners' associations have already urged the government to resume bus services in the country and demanded food assistance for all unemployed transport workers across Bangladesh.
Also Read:Covid’s daily death toll in Bangladesh falls to 50
Bus fare increases
The government has increased the bus fares by 60 percent across the country, said Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on March 30.
On May 31, 2020, the government raised the fares of inter-district (Dhaka, Chittagong and adjoining areas) buses and minibuses by 60 percent in order to compensate vehicle owners carrying 50 percent less passengers to prevent the transmission of coronavirus.
Lockdown extended
The government has issued a notification extending the ongoing lockdown till May 16 with six fresh directives alongside the existing ones to contain the spread of Covid-19.
According to the notification issued by the Cabinet Division, officials of all government, semi-government autonomous and private organisations, banks and financial institutions have been asked to remain at their respective workstations during the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays.
Shops and shopping malls will remain open from 10 am to 8 pm, maintaining health guidelines. If any violations are seen, the shopping malls and shops will be closed instantly, says the notification.
Inter-district transport services will remain suspended, while only intra-district transport services will operate adhering to health guidelines from Thursday.
However, launch and train services will remain suspended.
As coronavirus cases have been growing at an alarming rate since mid-March, the government imposed a ‘loose’ nationwide lockdown for one week from April 5 as part of its move to contain its spread.
Also Read:Officials asked not to leave workstations during Eid holidays
Later, a ‘stricter’ lockdown was declared from April 14 to 21. On April 28, the government again extended the lockdown till May 5, with the country struggling to contain the Covid-19 transmission.
On April 23, the Cabinet Division issued a notification allowing shops and shopping malls to operate from April 25 (10am-5pm) on the condition that they would maintain proper safety protocols.