The government is going to relax the ongoing lockdown, which has been imposed due to Covid-19 pandemic, said sources in the Cabinet Division.
As per the Cabinet Division sources, the lockdown might be relaxed for eight days from July 15 to July 23 so that people of the country could celebrate the holy Eid-ul-Azha, one of the major religious festivals of the Muslim Community.
During the period, people will also be allowed to go to their village homes to celebrate the holy Eid-ul-Azha.
The sources also said that the decision regarding the relaxation of the lockdown was taken at a meeting of the Cabinet Division on Monday and a notification in this regard is going to be issued within a day or two.
According to sources, the lockdown will be relaxed so that people of the religious Muslim community as well as the mass people could move freely and buy sacrificial cattle for the Eid-ul-Azha. This year, Eid-ul-Azha will be celebrated on July 21.
During the period from 6:00am on July 15 to 6:00am on July 23, movement of public transport will be allowed while shopping, marketing and other necessary activities will remain open by maintaining healthy hygiene rules and directives of the government.
However, all the non-government and private offices will remain closed although offices of all the government offices will remain open virtually.
It should be mentioned that in face of the third wave of the infection by coronavirus and death by the virus, the government imposed a week-long lockdown for from July 1 and later it was extended for another week till July 14.
According to the Directorate of the Health, around 10,22,000 people of the country have so far been infected with the coronavirus and over 16,500 people already died of it.
In this circumstance, the health experts have suggested for the extension of the ongoing lockdown for some more days. But, considering reality as well as the sentiment of the religious Muslim community, the government took a decision of relaxing the restriction for eight days so that the holy Eid-ul-Azha could be celebrated.
As per the decision of the Cabinet Division, the lockdown will be relaxed from Thursday. During this, movement of public transports like bus, launch and train will be allowed to operate in compliance with the health safety guidelines. Cattle markets will also be allowed across the country.
Farhad Hossain, State Minister for Public Administration on Monday said, the government is going to finalise a decision on the relaxation of the lockdown within a day or two.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) Chairman Commodore Golam Sadeq on Monday said that movement of launch, ferry and other water transports centring the Eid-ul-Azha depends on the decision of the Cabinet Division of the government.
