COVID-19: Bangladesh in crucial times

Bangladesh is seeing the steepest spike in coronavirus cases and this trend may continue for a few more days.

At such a crucial time, it is important to be even more proactive in containing the deadly disease. However, the matter of social distancing is becoming lax. The government has taken steps to keep the economy running.

With lives on one hand and livelihood on the other, experts have warned that Bangladesh is passing through a critical time.

According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), the number of coronavirus cases is rising. A total of 790 cases was reported on Wednesday. On the previous day the cases were 786.

Earlier, experts predicted that the upward trend of coronavirus will continue till 17-18 May.

Factories and shopping malls are being reopened under these circumstances. The government has set certain conditions about follow health rules in this regard.

Public health experts, however, have warned that the people and the economy will be at stake if lives are at risk.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, Bangladesh Medical and Dental Council (BMDC) president Mohammod Shahidullah said, “Health risks will increase if shops and shopping malls are reopened en masse.”

On 26 April, the government reopened garments factories setting several conditions. It also decided to reopen shops and shopping malls from 10 May.

Sources said the government took this decision without consulting the national technical advisory committee. The committee at its meeting on 5 May expressed concern over the matter.

Crucial time

It will be two months on Friday since the first coronavirus case was detected in Bangladesh on 8 March. The number of cases is increasing steadily. Bangladesh reported 11,719 cases as of Wednesday.

Bangladesh declared a general holiday from 26 March and later extended this up to 16 May to prevent the spread of coronavirus.

Many people have become jobless and people of various sections in the society have lost their sources of income.

In consideration the people’s livelihood, the government has decided to reopen businesses on a limited scale. Shops and shopping malls will be reopened from 10 May.

Large numbers of people emerged from their homes on Wednesday and shops in various localities have reopened. Many people have started returning to Dhaka to join work. Many do not believe that the general holidays will continue.

The general holidays were declared to maintain social distancing to prevent spread of the highly contagious disease.

Health experts said that they have been disappointed with the reopening garments factories without appropriate preparations.

They have expressed concern over easing the lockdown and reopening shops and shopping malls.

Advisory committee helpless

The 17-member national technical advisory committee at its meeting on 28 April opposed the government’s decision to reopen the garments factories.

Speaking to Prothom Alo, the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) former chief scientific officer Mushtaq Hossain said it would be risky to reopen markets at a time when the number of cases is increasing.

Meanwhile, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said the infections of coronavirus will not end soon. People need to be aware of the situation in order to tackle the coronavirus which has already claimed over 265,000 lives globally.

WHO also warned of the impact of easing lockdown in many countries.

* This report, originally published in Prothom Alo print edition, has been rewritten in English by Rabiul Islam.