The Directorate General Health Services (DGHS) has submitted a letter to the relevant ministry to declare Wari a red zone, but till Sunday night the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) received no official letter in this regard.
The local government division, however, on Sunday afternoon received a letter about the matter from the health ministry. This letter may be sent to the city corporation on Monday, with a date for locking down this area of the capital city.
Stressing the need for telemedicine to ensure healthcare in the locked down areas, the local government minister said that if people are to be kept in their homes, they must be provided with the required essentials.
Chief executive officer of DSCC, Shah Md Imdadul Haque, speaking to Prothom Alo on Sunday night, said that they had not received any letter about the matter. He said perhaps they would receive it on Monday.
Additional director general of DGHS, Nasima Sultana, during the regular news briefing on Saturday, said that that they had sent a letter to the concerned ministry to enforce red zone in certain areas of Wari. The lockdown in East Rajabazar was still in force.
Coordination cell
The local government division has formed a coordination cell to control the spread of coronavirus in the country. The cell will monitor whether the various bodies of the local government ministry are properly distributing food, medicines and essentials to the people in the locked down areas.
A meeting chaired by the local government minister Tajul Islam was held at the secretariat on Sunday to determine the responsibilities of the coordination cell. Addressing the meeting, the minister said the cell would gather information from all around the country and provide the necessary guidelines. It would also keep in constant contact with the health ministry, the city corporation and other relevant quarters.
Stressing the need for telemedicine to ensure healthcare in the locked down areas, the local government minister said that if people are to be kept in their homes, they must be provided with the required essentials.
Senior secretary of the local government ministry, Helaluddin Ahmed, along with other senior officials of the ministry were present at the meeting.
A 15-meember coordination cell was formed on 23 June, with additional secretary Md Zahirul Islam as convenor.