Around 345 people in 11 districts across the country have been home quarantined over the past 24 hours, according to a media report. Although the government had made it mandatory for expatriates to remain in home quarantine after the detection of coronavirus in the country, many of them are outing at will and doing daily activities.
Due to the lack of proper information of the expatriates, the local administration has been struggling to home quarantine them. Many of them were fined by local administrators earlier. In Shariatpur Sadar upazila, Saudi returnee Liton Bepari was fined Tk 5 thousand for not obeying home quarantine by the executive magistrate.
Dr A S M Abdullah Murad, civil surgeon of the district said, “ We have quarantined a total of 243 patients; of them, 33 are free of risk. Others are under strict monitoring,” In Barishal, 26 people, including six new ones, have been placed in home quarantine. Assistant Director of the Department of Health, Dr Shyaml Krishna Mol said, “ A total of 90 quarantines are in six districts of Barishal Division.”
Barishal District Civil Surgeon Dr Md Monowar Hossain said, "There was a problem for not getting the list of expatriates. Now, the Special Branch of police (SB) and the health department is listing daily. Efforts are being made to send expats to home quarantine in these upazilas.”
Talking to Bangladesh Post, Physician A B ABM Abdullah said, “local administrators have to play this role in-country, to detect and stop the spread of coronavirus. Awareness is the key there. Avoiding masses must be encouraged” In this regard, Dr Monowar Hossain of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) said, “We all understand the emotion of returnees coming back to the country. But for this period, I would request our brothers to remain at their homes in this crucial time “
“Bangladesh is digital now. If it is an urgent case to contact, please talk to relatives through the video call. Don’t pay a visit to your relatives. Maintain distance for overall safety” “Country-level government administrators must act carefully to stop this. Follow the home quarantine which will help us all. Think humanly, don’t put your community in danger”, the doctor added.
Earlier, the government shut all educational institutions all over the country until the 31st of March. The Islamic Foundation of all advised muslins to avoid mosques and religious gatherings, and people who have cough, fever and cold issues. He said, “A total of eight persons were quarantined in Gazipur, including one person identified with coronavirus. Most of them have recently come from Italy ”.
He confirmed that the person was sent to a special hospital in Dhaka with highest caution. The first coronavirus person was identified in Bangladesh on March 8. At the time, three cases were identified by IEDCR.