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Countrywide ‘strict’ lockdown starts

Factories, banks, stock markets, kitchen markets to remain open

Published : Wednesday, 14 April, 2021 at 12:00 AM  Count : 458

An eight-day nationwide strict lockdown began from 6:00am today (Wednesday) to contain the spread of the second wave of Covid-19 infections.
To enforce the strict lockdown, the government has already issued several instructions banning people and vehicular movements across the country.
All government, semi-government, autonomous and private offices will remain closed during the lockdown. But, all employees must be present at their work stations.
However, the banks will remain open from 10:00am to 1:00pm for transactions during lockdown, said Serajul Islam, a spokesperson of Bangladesh Bank.
Trading on the stock markets will also continue from 10:00am to 12:30pm, said Rezaul Karim, a spokesperson for the Securities and Exchange Commission.
The authorities     concerned, including law enforcement authorities, have taken several steps to enforce the lockdown strictly.
Bangladesh Police on Tuesday launched a special app 'Movement Pass' to control the movement of people during the week-long lockdown imposed by the government from today.
However, factories and industries, health services, Covid-19 vaccination activities, print and electronic media, production and transportation of essential products, all emergency services like electricity, water, gas and petroleum services, fire service, port activities in both land, river, sea, telephone and internet services, construction works, train services for carrying vegetable and fruits, transportation of fertilizer, seeds, pesticides and equipment, crops, relief distribution, private security systems and food shops and hotels-restaurants will remain open for takeaway or online supply from 12:00 noon to7:00pm and 12:00am to 6:00am, according to the government notification issued on Monday by the Cabinet Division.
However, this rule would not be applicable to the employees of air, sea, river and land ports and their related offices.
Bangladesh Supreme Court has issued directives for the courts and the employees working under its jurisdiction.
According to the notification, the kitchen markets materials and daily necessities can be sold at open places from 9:00am to 3:00pm in accordance with hygiene rules. The market authorities and local administrations must ensure maintaining hygiene rules.
As it is the Boro harvest season, the district administration will coordinate the transportation of agricultural workers for meeting up the emergency necessity of Boro paddy harvesting.
The circular said all modes of transports on roads, waterways, railways and airways including domestic and international flights will remain suspended. However the restriction would not be applicable in case of transportation of commodities, production and emergency services.
The authorities of the industries and factories, which will remain open during the restriction, will run offices with their own management complying with health guidelines. However, the entities must ensure transportation for their workers.
People would not be allowed to come out of their houses during the restriction period except for emergency necessities of medicine and buying daily essentials, treatment and burial or funeral of dead bodies.
However, one can go for vaccination by showing the vaccine card.
The district and field administrations across the country have been asked to take effective steps to implement the guidelines strictly while law enforcement agencies have been asked to intensify regular patrols.
The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) authorities will empower the civil and police administration to take legal action on behalf of the DG Health.
The Religious Affairs Ministry has issued guidelines on the congregation of only 20 devotees for Jumma and Tarawee prayers following health rules.
Key Points of Lockdown
To be allowed to remain open
1.    Factories, industries and banks
2.    Print and electronic media
3.    Production and transportation of essential products
4.    All emergency services like electricity, water, gas and petroleum services, fire service, port activities in both land, river, sea, telephone and internet services
5.    Construction works
6.    Train services for carrying vegetable, fruits
7.    Transportation of fertilizer, seeds, pesticides and equipment, crops
8.    Transportation of relief distribution
9.    Health services, Covid-19 vaccination activities
10.    Private security systems
11.    Food shops, hotels-restaurants for takeaway or online supply from 12:00 noon to7:00pm and 12:00am to 6:00am
12.    Kitchen markets materials and daily necessities can be sold at open places from 9:00am to 3:00pm

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