Staff Reporter :
The government has decided to deploy troops in the areas flagged as red zones to address the coronavirus outbreak.
Members of the Army are currently patrolling the East Rajabazar area of Dhaka which has been put under experimental lockdown due to high coronavirus infection rate.
In a statement, the Inter-Services Public Relations Directorate said, “Troops will increase patrols in the red zones in line with the government order.”
The national committee for tackling the coronavirus outbreak has identified 45 areas in Dhaka as red zones. It will take some more time to enforce lockdowns in those areas after completing all preparations, the authorities said.
The Army will work in coordination with other government agencies and the people in the red zones,
ISPR Director Abdullah Ibn Zaid said.
The government ended the shutdown of offices and the public transportation system on May 31, retaining few restrictions, after a two-month long lockdown. The members of Covid-19 cases and deaths have since surged.
It later decided to categorise areas as red, green and yellow zones based on the rate of coronavirus infections and deaths. On Monday, the Cabinet Division issued instructions on how to work within the marked areas.
A general holiday will be enforced in the coronavirus hotspots.
However, Police will play a vital role in implementing the restrictions and controlling the traffic in the red zones for three weeks. Police, however, are waiting for specific directives from the Health Services Division.
