Lakshmipur to be brought under complete lockdown

The local administration has decided to put Lakshmipur district under lockdown in two phases due to an alarming increase in the number of COVID-19 patients.

“The announcement will come into effect for Kamalnagar and Ramgati upazilas from 6:00am on Monday while for the rest three upazilas from the next day,” said a press release issued by the Coronavirus Infection Prevention Committee of the district.

Anjan Chandra Paul, president of the committee and deputy commissioner of the district, took the decision in a meeting on Sunday in presence of other members of the committee.

According to the press release, Kamalnagar and Ramgati upazila will be under lockdown from 6:00am of 15 June to 12:00am of 30 June. The announcement will be applied in Sadar, Ramganj and Raipur upazilas 24 hours later.

Besides, the district will be divided into three zones – red, yellow and green - on the basis of infection rate, it added.

Abdul Gaffar, civil surgeon of the district, said Lakshmipur has so far witnessed 417 coronavirus cases. But no COVID-19 patient died in the district.

Contacted, deputy commissioner Anjan Chandra Paul said the decision was taken considering high risk of coronavirus infection. During the lockdown period, vehicular movement will be suspended and all the shops will remain shut.

“The lockdown won’t be similar to the earlier one. This time everything will be controlled strictly,” he added.

Meanwhile, the local administration in Manikganj announced to put seven spots of the district under lockdown from Monday, after identifying them as ‘red zone’ what implies the areas to be with high risk of coronavirus infection.

The district administration made the disclosure through a public notice on Sunday, saying the lockdown will come into effect until 4 July.

The seven spots are – Uttar Seuta, Gangadharpotty, Paschim Dashra areas in Manikganj Municipality; Joymontop union and Singair municaplity; Dhankora and Sadar unions in Saturia upazila.

The authorities issued a specific guideline on people’s movements during the period.

The district witnessed 404 cases and 15 deaths from the coronavirus.

Apart from these, the Thanapara area in Pirojpur’s Mathbaria upazila was declared as a ‘red zone’ by the local administration.

Contacted, Pirojpur deputy commissioner Abu Ali Md Sazzad Hossain said they took the decision after five residents of the area test positive for COVID-19.

The overall coronavirus situation in Bangladesh kept worsening as the health authorities on Sunday confirmed the detection of the 3,141 new coronavirus patients in the span of 24 hours, raising the total number to 87,520.

During this period, 32 people died of coronavirus, bringing the death toll to 1,171.