In a cabinet meeting held in Tuesday, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal rightly said that people have to stay home at any cost, and law enforcers have to be as tough as needed to ensure the shutdown. The meeting decided that law enforcers have to take furious measures in the worst-hit areas, including Dhaka, amid reports of people coming out of their homes without specific reasons and ultimately increasing the risk of further spread.
Law enforcers told us that they are struggling to make people stay at home in the government’s efforts to contain the deadly disease (COVID-19). No doubt, such violation of government's guidelines on public movement will frustrate government efforts to quell the spread of coronavirus.
China, South Korea and Taiwan have
demonstrated that, with furious efforts,
the contagion can be brought to heel.
In order to make the ongoing lockdown successful, the government must take drastic measure to compel people to maintain social distance and make sure that the food and financial assistance reach all vulnerable groups including middle-class. Also the government must ensure that no social gatherings, religious or otherwise, take place in the country during this time of a national health crisis.
Developed nations with lesser population, good health facilities and best of the resources and technology have not been able to stop the spread of the disease. Bangladesh being one of the most densely populated countries in the world with people still living in slums cannot afford to neglect. Therefore, we need to take more precaution.
China, South Korea, Singapore and Taiwan have demonstrated that, with furious efforts, the contagion can be brought to heel. Whether they can keep it suppressed remains to be seen. But for Bangladesh to repeat their successes will take extraordinary levels of coordination and money from the country’s leaders, and extraordinary levels of trust and cooperation from citizens.
