Bangladesh clamps 8-day complete lockdown; suspends international flights
- Apr 14, 2021,
- Updated Apr 14, 2021, 12:48 AM IST
DHAKA: The Bangladesh government has declared a full lockdown in the country beginning today in order to contain a surge in new coronavirus cases.
According to government updates, the eight-day lockdown will last till April 21. On Monday, the Cabinet division released a circular with instructions that took effect from 6 am today till midnight of April 21.
All government, semi-government, autonomous and private offices are closed as per the government's order. However, airports, land ports and marine ports, as well as their offices, are exempted from the ban.
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Markets and shopping centres will remain closed during the lockdown, but restaurants and hotels will be available from morning till evening for takeaway or online services.
According to the government's order, no one is allowed to go outside except for important trips such as medication and medical care, daily essentials and burial or funeral purposes.
The restriction would not apply to offices, staff or transports involved in law enforcement and emergency services, relief delivery, healthcare, power, water, gas/fuel, fire service, port operations, telephone and internet, telecommunication and other services.
Furthermore, under the authorities' agreement, factories and enterprises will remain open when adhering to health and safety regulations.
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The Bangladesh government has already suspended all international and domestic flights for a week from today. From April 14 to April 20, all international passenger flights to and from Bangladesh will remain suspended.
More than 500 flights will be cancelled because of the ban.
Aside from that, on April 3, the authorities placed an air passenger ban on travellers from Europe and 12 other countries.
On April 9, Bangladesh, which first recorded cases of the novel coronavirus in March, reported the highest single day rise in infections, with 7,462 cases. So far, 6,84,756 cases and 9,739 deaths have been recorded in the country.