State minister for public administration Farhad Hossain has said that the establishments that are required to provide emergency services during the lockdown will remain open.
The state minister said this in a video message sent to media from his Baily Road residence in the capital on Saturday.
Earlier in the morning, road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader said that countrywide lockdown will be enforced for one week from Monday.
Farhad Hossain said except the emergency services, industrial factories will also remain open. The workers will work at the factories maintaining health guidelines.
A notification could be issued delineating the details this evening, he added.
The government has taken the decision as the Covid-19 situation worsens in Bangladesh. For the last few days, health directorate has been reporting more cases of novel coronavirus infection than the previous day. On Friday, the government reported nearly 6,900 cases, the highest number of detection in 24 hours.
On 29 March, the government issued 18-point directives that said except organisations delivering emergency services, all government and private offices, establishments, factories have to be run with 50 per cent of manpower.
It also asked to restrict all types of social, political and religious gatherings, following health guidelines in all worship places and run public transports with 50 per cent of capacity.