Finding no other alternative to fight the prevailing Covid-19 pandemic, the government is going hard on implementing the fresh lockdown system imposed on different specific areas or red zones across the country.
Sources in the government said, the fresh lockdown system would be enforced strictly so that people follow health guidelines and maintain social distancing properly.
As part of the move, restriction on the movement of transports and members of the public has been extended up to June 30 while holidays at all the educational institutions have been extended till August 6. The directives came from the government on Monday.
According to a circular issued by the Cabinet Division on Monday, people of the red zones would not be allowed to go out of their own areas and accordingly, none would be allowed to enter those areas.
Besides, residents of those areas whose working places are located outside the zones will also observe the closure.
However, offices in green zones will remain open on a limited scale following all health safety guidelines.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina herself on Monday also requested the people of the country to strictly maintain the health guidelines.
The Prime Minister made the request while addressing a function marking the 34th founding anniversary of the Special Security Force (SSF) through a video conference from her official residence Gonobhaban. “All have to keep others secure by keeping themselves secure," she said.
Earlier on Sunday, The Prime Minister told Parliament that her government would put the worst hit areas by COVID-19 under lockdown to stop further spread of the lethal virus alongside taking effective measures to keep the economy moving as none could die from starvation. She also said that her government has been trying its best to make people understand the urgency of maintaining health codes in a proper manner to stem the further spread of COVID-19 aiming at protecting them from the highly contagious virus.
It should be mentioned that the government identified around 100 areas as red zones across the country and lock down has started being enforced in those areas gradually.
According to sources in the government, 45 areas in capital Dhaka, 11 in Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) and different urban areas in Narsingdi, Narayanganj, Gazipur and Brahmanbaria districts.
Official sources said, people of those specific red zones would be made aware of their guidelines through loudspeakers.
Abul Kalam Azad, Director General of the Department of Health, said, although red zones have been identified, the areas were yet to be specified clearly.
He said lockdown would be enforced in specific areas with the help of the personnel from different law-enforcement agencies, local government administrations and other related agencies.
It should be mentioned that the death toll from coronavirus had risen to 1,209 till Monday while the number of total infected people was 90,619 in Bangladesh.
Besides, the total number of deaths across the world was 429666, and the total number of infected people, 77,64,977.