The government of Bangladesh has announced an extension of the ongoing countrywide lockdown till May 16 while allowing for the buses to resume operations within the district from May 6.
However, inter-district movement of buses will remain suspended. Trains and waterway services will also continue to remain suspended in the country.The decision was taken on Monday during the weekly cabinet meeting Chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.
Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam told media after the cabinet meeting that local administration will strictly enforce the health regulations imposed on malls and shops. If they are found to violate the regulations, they will be shut, said the Cabinet Secretary.
Bangladesh imposed a nationwide lockdown on April 5 as COVID 19 infections and deaths started rising alarmingly. Subsequently, the lockdown has been extended week after week. The latest round of the lockdown was scheduled to end on May 5.
While the government announced the suspension of public transport, malls and shops and closure of offices as part of lockdown, over the weeks the restrictions have been relaxed. Domestic and international flights are now allowed on a restricted scale. Shops and malls can open for a certain period of time in the day. Factories were allowed to remain open right from the day lockdown was announced on April 5. Banks too have been functional for a limited time.
Subsequent to the lockdown, critical indicators relating to the COVID 19 situation in the country has shown improvement. The daily death count has come down to 65 as on Monday from a level of over 100 deaths between April 16-19. The sample positivity rate has also shown a sharp decline from over 23 percent on April 16 to 8.95 percent as on Monday, May 3.
