‘Strictest restrictions to come into force from tomorrow’

Restrictions will come into force from tomorrow, Friday, till 5 August, in order to implement the government’s directives aimed at bringing the spread of coronavirus under control. These will be the ‘strictest restrictions’, according to state minister for public administration Farhad Hossain.

The state minister, speaking to Prothom Alo today, Thursday, said they would enforce the strictest restrictions from Friday. He called for cooperation from all quarters, saying that was no alternative to such measures in order to being the transmission of coronavirus under control.

The state minister said, the restrictions will be enforced just as declared. There will be no change.

According to the announcement made by the cabinet division, the strict restrictions will be in place from 6:00 Friday morning until midnight of 5 August.

All mills and factories will remain closed in these 14 days. While the owners of readymade garment industries had appealed for the RMG industrial units to remain open, the government had not acquiesced. During previous restrictions the factories had remained open.

The cabinet division said that though there had been a relaxation in the restrictions until 6:00 in the morning of 23 July in order to facilitate people’s Eid celebrations, travel, pre-Eid business and the country’s overall socioeconomic condition, extremely strict restrictions would be clamped down from 6:00 Friday morning for 14 days.

The government had been enforcing restrictions in phases from 5 April to control the second wave of coronavirus. The local administration in various places too had been imposing restrictions. However, coronavirus has not come under control as yet.

According to the government announcement, in the 14 days after Eid (23 July to 5 August), as in previous restrictions, all government, semi-government, autonomous and private offices, road, railway and river transport, domestic flights, and all transport will remain closed. The government employees will remain in their work areas and carry out their office work virtually. Shopping malls, markets, shops, industries, tourist centres, resorts, community centres and recreational centres will remain closed.

However, persons and transport of the law enforcement and emergency services such as agricultural products and implements, food transportation and sales, relief distribution, health services, coronavirus vaccinations, fire service, internet, media (print and electronic), private security, postal service, essential goods supply, will be able to move with proper identification.

Kitchen markets and essential goods stores can remain open from 9:00am till 3:00pm. Persons going for their vaccinations must display their vaccination cards. Food shops and restaurants can sell their food from 8:00am till 8:00pm (take away and online sales).

International flights will operate and overseas passengers can commute by showing their airline tickets.

Bangladesh Bank and the Financial Institutions Division will issue directives to ensure the services of banks, insurance companies and financial institutions. The finance division will issue directives regarding opening of the divisional, district and upazila level offices of the accounts officers.

Bangladesh Supreme Court will issue directives about the courts.

Meanwhile, the transportation, preservation and procession of the hides of sacrificial animals will remain outside of the strict restrictions. Food, food production and food processing factories and pharmaceutical industries, industries related to oxygen and drugs for Covid-19 treatment, will remain out of the restrictions.

The army this time too will assist the civil administration in enforcing the restrictions.