Enamul Hafiz Latifee reports,
The government on 04 May 2020 extended the nationwide shutdown for 11 more days until 16 May 2020 to intensify the anti-COVID-19 campaign as the virus continued to infect an increased number of people and claim lives.
Followings are the 11-points directive that is contained in the statement published by Public Administration Ministry on 04 May,
- The people and all authorities concerned must strictly follow the directives announced by the Health Services Division during the holidays.
- Emergency services like electricity, water, gas and other energy-related services, fire service, ports (land ports, river ports, and seaports), cleanliness activities, telephone and internet services, postal services and vehicles and people related to the services will remain out of the purview of the instructions.
- Movement of all kinds of vehicles like cargo vessels, trucks, and Lorries used exclusively for the transportation of commodities will continue.
- The holiday will not be applicable for agriculture products, fertilizers, pesticides, foods, industrial products, goods of state’s projects, kitchen market, pharmacies, hospitals, and emergency services and the people related to the services.
- Doctors and health service providers, vehicles engaged in transporting medical equipment, including medicines, and people engaged in mass media (print and electronic) and cable TV networks will remain out of the purview of the holidays.
- All factory authorities, including the pharmaceutical industry and production and export-oriented industries, could keep open their factories ensuring safety and healthcare services for the workers. They should ensure the maintenance of health regulations announced by the Health Services Division for the factories.
- Considering the situation, the sectors related to industrial factories, agriculture and production, and supply chain will be open in phases.
- No educational instruction would be allowed to remain open during the holidays.
- Bangladesh Bank will issue necessary instructions on keeping open the banking system considering the convenience of business and commerce on the occasion of Ramadan and Eid.
- All ministries and divisions will keep their offices open as per their requirement and issue-specific instructions on operating activities of their affiliated offices.
- Nobody will leave their respective workplace during the Eid-ul-Fitr holidays.
On 23 March 2020, the government first declared a 10-day countrywide holiday from 26 March to 04 April, ordering the shutdown of all government and private offices alongside businesses including transport services of all modes and called out armed forces “in aid of civil power” to enforce the shutdown alongside police and other law enforcement agencies.
Meanwhile, Bangladesh registered 5 more deaths, 688 new positive cases, crosses 10,000 mark on 04 May 2020.