In continuation of the measures taken to prevent spread of Covid-19 the government is again thinking of imposing a stringent week-long lockdown from April 14.
All government and private offices will be closed for a week under the purview of the lockdown except some emergency services. Vehicles, garment factories and other establishments will remain closed except emergency services.
State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain unveiled the matter in a virtual press briefing on Friday.
He said, “A strict lockdown is about to be imposed following the Prime Minister’s direction. People will not be allowed to come out of the house in any way during the lockdown. There is no alternative to stopping the rise of the coronavirus.”
“A notification in this regard will be issued on April 11,” he added.
Earlier on Friday, Awami League General Secretary and Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader had said that the government was thinking of another week of lockdown from April 14, highlighting the horrors of coronavirus infection in the country.
He said this while giving a briefing from his residence on Friday morning.
Obaidul Quader said, “The coronavirus infection of the country has taken a serious turn. The infection and death rate is increasing by leaps and bounds. The negligence and indifference of the people has increased. In the circumstances, the government is thinking about a comprehensive lockdown for a week from April 14 in the public interest”.
Earlieron April 5, a seven-day lockdown started across the country to curb the rise in Covid-19 infections and deaths.
Experts said that all scientific measures of disease prevention including patient identification and isolation-quarantine confirmation must be applied to reap the benefits of lockdown.
The National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 has recommended a complete lockdown for at least consecutive two weeks in city corporations and municipal areas of the country.
The advisory committee said this in a press release on Friday. The recommendation was made at the 30th meeting of the committee chaired by Professor Mohammad Sahidullah on Wednesday night.
"The coronavirus cannot be controlled without a complete lockdown for at least two weeks," the statement said.
After two weeks, a new decision can be made in view of rising infection rate.
The notification of government restrictions said that all government and non-government offices will be able to bring and take the required manpower by their own transports only for carrying out emergency work.
But the ground reality is different. Most of the establishments did not provide vehicles to the employees. The employees suffered due to this.
Social distancing, hygiene and restrictions all fell flat as public transports started plying on city roads on Wednesday.
In a nutshell, it can be said that people are not following the health guidelines properly. So, there is no alternative to a harsher lockdown, experts opined.