The government’s decision to suspend public prayers at all places of worship, like mosques and churches, to contain the spread of Covid-19 is a wise one, and shows that the administration is ready to make the tough, unpopular calls when needed.
Social distancing remains, next to regular hand-washing, the most vital element in tackling the coronavirus. Unfortunately, this made mass gatherings at religious spaces nothing but hotbeds for the virus to spread more rapidly.
In a country like Bangladesh, it is certainly not an easy decision by any means to limit public access to religious spaces.
Religious gatherings such as the Friday Jummah prayers at mosques are an institution for a nation such as ours, ingrained into the collective psyche and life of the citizens.
However, it is a decision that is being made around the world due to the effects of Covid-19, and it is good that the authorities in Bangladesh have finally come to their senses.
It is still disappointing that, despite witnessing so many countries around the world suspending prayers and religious gatherings with priority, the authorities waited all this time before finally realizing the health hazards that come with the congregations and gatherings at places of worship during the coronavirus pandemic.
Who knows how much damage has already been done due to the continuation of prayers for all this time, and what the compounded effect on the country will be as a result moving forward.
The authorities must now ensure that their directives are strictly implemented and followed, and that overzealous people do not try and disobey in the name of religion.
It must also be said that absolutely no religion promotes actions that may cause mass harm to other people. As such, we hope that people also cooperate with the government’s orders.
Yes, it is an encouraging sign that collective sense has ultimately prevailed. It is good that the government has finally made such a difficult decision, but we lament the fact that it could, and should, have been made earlier.
