On the day when Bangladesh recorded its highest number of new coronavirus cases in a span of 24 hours, the government has announced the withdrawal of the ongoing nationwide public holiday after more than two months to allow all offices and businesses to resume operation from May 31 on a limited scale.
The Cabinet Division issued a gazette notification in this regard on Thursday. The directives will remain in force until June 15.
According to the gazette notification, all public, private and autonomous offices can resume operations on a limited scale from May 31 to June 15, but everyone has to follow the 13-points health directives issued earlier by the Heath Services Division.
As part of preventive measures against the spread of Covid-19 pandemic in Bangladesh, the government on March 23 declared a general holiday from March 26 and later extended the shutdown in phases till May 30.
• Health guidelines to be followed mandatorily outside homes, offices and in public transports
• Pregnant women, the elderly and the sick asked to refrain from attending office
• Public transports on roads and waterways as well as trains to operate with limited passengers from May 31
• Markets and shops to remain open only from 10am to 4pm
• Embargo on movement of people from 8pm to 6am to remain unchanged
• No rallies or mass gatherings will be allowed
• Educational institutions to remain shut
• The directives will remain in force until June 15
Pregnant women, the elderly and the sick have been asked to refrain from attending offices. All meetings will be done virtually except for emergencies.
The gazette also made it mandatory for all to use face masks and follow all health guidelines while going out of their homes, or face legal action if they fail to do so. No one will be allowed to remain outside their homes unnecessarily from 8pm and 6am.
Public transport including road transport, train and water vessels will also be allowed to operate with limited passengers from May 31 while maintaining health guidelines. The gazette also made it mandatory for everyone to use face masks while using public transports.
The gazette also mentioned that law enforcers will continue to strictly enforce the ban on movement of people to and from one district to another. Check posts will be installed at entry and exit points of each district which will be monitored cautiously by the district administration and police.
Only private vehicles are likely to be allowed to commute passengers along long routes. But, inter-district trains and water vessels will be open from May 31.
Airlines can operate flights under their own management while abiding health guidelines.
The gazette also said ministries concerned will issue separate detail directives for passenger transport.
In a recorded video statement on Thursday, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said: “Transports will be operated abiding health guidelines. The coronavirus situation will worsen if everyone does not follow the guidelines.”
However, he did not provide a detailed guideline for roads transport in this regard.
Quader also said the government took the decision not to continue the general holiday to keep the economy of the country afloat and ensure health services for the people.
The Railway Ministry is expected to sit for a meeting on Thursday evening or Friday to finalize the detailed instructions for commuting passengers.
Earlier, Railway Minister Nurul Islam Sujan said: “Bangladesh Railway is fully prepared to operate passenger trains once it gets the government’s signal.
According to BR, trains can be operated while maintaining social distancing and health guidelines as the authority has already drafted a new operation module in this regard.
“We will disclose all the instruction very soon,” said Shariful Islam, public relation officer of Railway Ministry, told Dhaka Tribune.
According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), Bangladesh recorded the highest 2,029 cases in the last 24 hours on Thursday, since the first reported case on March 8.
Health experts said such a reopening of the offices and transport may help pandemic to stay longer.
Earlier on Wednesday, Farhad Hossain, state minister of the Ministry of Public Administration, said: “Actually, we do not know how many more days we will need to keep out of the fight against the Covid-19 virus as no medicine or vaccine against the virus has been confirmed yet. Therefore, we are going to open all government, semi-government and private offices.”
“We will also monitor to what degree public transports can follow the health guidelines. Then we will take further decisions,” he added.
According to the gazette, all the educational institutions across the country will remain closed to curb the spread of coronavirus. However, online courses and distance learning programs will continue.
No rallies or mass gatherings will be allowed, and mosques and other places of worship will continue to run following previously issued guidelines.
Similarly, instructions for shops and markets remain unchanged, keeping their working hours from 10am and 4pm.
Maintaining social distancing has been made mandatory at shopping malls and kitchen markets, where hand sanitizers are to be kept at the entrances of shopping centres.
Bangladesh Bank will also announce guidelines to resume banking operation in full swing as per gazette.
Besides, service providers and their vehicles under the emergency services such as law enforcers, ports, power, water, gas, fire, cleanliness, telephone and internet services will remain out of the purview of the restrictions.
Transportation of food, medical equipment, germicides, agricultural goods, fertilizer, industrial goods, and other essential products or daily necessities will also remain out of the purview of the restrictions.
A notification on April 25 included a directive that all ministries, divisions and their subordinate offices involved in providing emergency services would remain open on a limited scale during the extended general holidays.
On the same day, the Public Administration Ministry said government offices at division, district and upazila levels under 18 ministries and divisions would remain open on a limited scale.
Amid high risks of coronavirus transmission, some garment factories reopened on April 26 and factory owners claimed they were operating with workers available in Dhaka while adhering to hygiene-related measures.
