Decision on lockdown extension by Thursday

Bangladesh is set to review the ongoing lockdown situation and its effect on people, and the authorities will then decide on its extension by Thursday.

Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam said that the government was scheduled to take a decision on Thursday on whether or not the ongoing lockdown would be extended after reviewing the Covid-19 situation.

He was speaking after a cabinet meeting held at the Bangladesh Secretariat on Monday.

Meanwhile, talking to Dhaka Tribune on Monday, some top officials of the government hinted that the ongoing restriction on public movement would continue till the Eid-ul-Fitr vacation.

However, requesting anonymity, they said gradually the duration of these restrictions would be extended like last year, but some decisions would be reviewed as well.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina joins the cabinet meeting virtually from Ganabhaban on Monday, April 5, 2021 | Focus Bangla

On condition of anonymity, a cabinet member said: “Today [Tuesday] some businessmen of the new market area demonstrated against the decision on a closure of their shops. In the coming days, more professionals may come up with similar protests, and so we have to review some decisions if we are to extend the restriction of movement for a long time.”

Another cabinet minister said: “This lockdown will be extended. The recent steps taken by the government point to such a move. You can see the instructions for mosques during the month of Ramadan as well as some other instructions.”

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Talking to Dhaka Tribune on Monday afternoon, Dr Abdur Razzaque, a senior minister and presidium member of the ruling party, said: “It has not been decided yet whether or not the lockdown will be extended. But I think after reviewing the current situation, the government will take further decisions.”

While talking to journalists, Dr Abul Bashar Mohammad Khurshid Alam, director general of the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), said whether the ongoing government-imposed restrictions would be prolonged would depend on the Covid-19 infection rate in the country.

2nd dose from Thursday

The prime minister on Monday reaffirmed that the second dose of Covid-19 vaccines would be rolled out next Thursday next (April 8) as per schedule, UNB quoted the cabinet secretary as saying.

“The prime minister has made it clear that the roll-out of the second dose of the coronavirus vaccine will begin on April 8 as usual as per schedule,” Khandker Anwarul said.

Besides, the roll-out of the first jab of the Covid-19 vaccine will conclude on Tuesday, he added.

However, the DGHS on Monday night said they would continue administering the first dose.

The cabinet secretary said there would be no problem with the stock of the second dose of the vaccines as Bangladesh would get the supply of the vaccines from India within the scheduled time.

Festival allowance for FFs

The cabinet cleared a proposal for providing two festival allowances (each Tk10,000) to the gallantry award-holding freedom fighters, Tk2,000 as Bengali New Year allowance to gallantry award-holding freedom fighters, war-wounded freedom fighters and martyred freedom fighters’ families and Tk5,000 as Victory Day allowance to living freedom fighters, said the cabinet secretary.

Currently gallantry award-holding freedom fighters are not getting the two festival allowances, the Bengali New Year allowance and the Victory Day allowance, while war-wounded freedom fighters are not getting the Bengali New Year allowance and the Victory Day allowance and martyred freedom fighters’ families were not getting the Bengali New Year allowance, he said.

Also Read - Thin traffic on roads as Bangladesh goes under 7-day lockdown

Chittagong Port Authority Bill

The cabinet gave its final approval to the draft of the Chittagong Port Authority Bill, 2021, keeping a provision of a year’s jail or Tk5 lakh fine as the highest punishment for the violation of the law.

BSCIC Bill 2021

The cabinet approved in principle the draft of the Bangladesh Small and Cottage Industries Corporation Bill, 2021, keeping a provision of one-stop service to ensure quick necessary infrastructural services in BSCIC Industrial Estates and attract local and foreign investments there.

The amount of authorized capital has been increased to Tk3,000 crore from Tk1 crore in the draft law, said the cabinet Secretary.

Daily Covid-19 updates of Bangladesh show that the Covid-19 infection rate is increasing day by day. 

On Monday, Bangladesh registered over 7,000 Covid-19 cases for the second day in a row, struggling to choke the spread of the deadly virus.