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The government plans to enforce another seven-day lockdown with stricter rules from Apr 14 with the offices shut, as coronavirus cases keep surging across Bangladesh, setting daily records.
All government, semi-government and private organisations, except for emergency service providers, will be closed during the weeklong lockdown, State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain said on Friday, reports bdnews24.com.
“Everyone will be under the purview of the lockdown,” he told bdnews24.com, adding that the government will issue a notice by Sunday on the new lockdown.
Earlier, Road Transport Minister Obaidul Quader revealed the new lockdown plan saying the ongoing lockdown did not change the public behaviour during the pandemic.
“The government is actively considering another lockdown as the coronavirus situation has taken an alarming turn,” Quader said at a news briefing in Dhaka.
The current lockdown will end at midnight on Apr 11.
“The spread of coronavirus infections has become severe in Bangladesh with the cases and the death toll surging manifold. People’s negligence and indifference are increasing too,” Quader said.
“Under the circumstances, the government is pondering over the extension of lockdown for another week from Apr 14 in the public interest.”
After record 74 deaths from COVID-19 in the daily count on Thursday, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina warned that more stringent measures were coming.
For the ongoing lockdown that began on Apr 5 amid the soaring number of coronavirus cases and deaths, the government restricted shopping and dining at eateries along with a ban on public transports.
Offices were allowed to operate with limited presence while banking hours were cut down.
The government allowed public transport operators to resume services in city areas from 6 am to 6 pm on Wednesday given the sufferings of the commuters.
Facing protests by traders, the government also allowed stores and shopping malls to reopen from 9 am to 5 pm on Friday adhering to the health rules.