The government is imposing stricter shutdown, zone-wise this time, in its efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus amid the rise in the number of new cases and fatalities following the withdrawal of the first round of the restrictions.
Public administration ministry officials said the government will begin imposition of the lockdown from Monday, announcing a general holiday in areas with high concentrations of coronavirus infections.
They said public and private offices and businesses will remain shut in the areas, to be flagged as 'red zones', where none will be allowed to enter or leave.
According to government’s health department, coronavirus or COVID-19, which first emerged from Wuhan city of China, has claimed at least 1,171 lives and infected 87,520 in Bangladesh since the first case was reported on March 8 this year.
Amid the spread of the deadly disease in Bangladesh, the government imposed a countrywide shutdown on March 26, keeping the offices and other establishments closed and restricting movement of people, to fight the coronavirus. The restriction was later extended until May 30 in several phases.
The government later withdrew the shutdown taking into consideration the economic impacts of the disease, but kept imposed the social distancing that most of the people are not following.
The number of new cases and fatalities increased following the withdrawal of the shutdown, prompting the authorities to think of imposition of another round of the shutdown, particularly in the worst-affected areas.
Earlier on Saturday, state minister for public administration Farhad Hossain said the government will start declaring as 'red zones' the worst-hit areas across the country within the next few days.
On Sunday, he said the government thinks that the zone-based lockdown will be every effective in combating coronavirus.
He said Rajabazar in the capital has been kept under lockdown and the authorities will apply the experience earned from there to the new areas under lockdown for better results.
Coronavirus testing kiosks will be set up and doctors and ambulances will be on standby in the red zones while the authorities will ensure food supplies for the people in the areas.
The state minister said the areas will be completely sealed off on all corners to ensure that people do not enter or exit the areas.
On Jun 1, the authorities decided to flag coronavirus risk zones as red, green and yellow based on the number of fatalities and infections.
