THE government decision to enforce 45 red zones in Dhaka city to control the spread of Coronavirus from one place to another is facing a setback. Media reports blamed lack of coordination of relevant authorities among themselves and with the two city corporations which have been tasked to execute the lockdown. It was supposed to be in place very quickly following the announcement of creation of red zones in the city in view of the growing number of infections and deaths in many areas. But it is yet to be implemented after 72 hours of the decision.
Now if the two city corporations’ complaints that the health ministry is yet to demarcate the red zone areas and produce their mapping is true, and it has also failed so far to issue standard guidelines on how to execute the lockdown, it is a total mismatch and we must say the responsible officials must be held accountable forthwith. It is obvious that without clearly demarcating the red zones putting blockades in an otherwise vast locality may be difficult and also misleading.
The health ministry’s lack of timely action just highlights a chaotic situation. The city corporations are right when they said they must have standard guidelines and mapping to know clearly the areas where to erect barricades and how to implement blockades involving roads, lanes and by-lanes. Blocking people’s movement is difficult and volunteers must be engaged with local councilors while police or armed forces may also be needed to be deployed for guarding the lockout.
DSCC Mayor’s disclosure that the health ministry is yet to provide them with standard guidelines is a kind of shifting of the blame when people are dying in increasingly large numbers.
Another DSCC officers excuse is they have to yet get official authorization.
That the government is the hallmark of mismanagement needs no mention. In respect of the pandemic advice of the medical experts should prevail. Other than how to indulge in corruption everything else is uncertain in the government. Dhaka City Corporations have to act to save people’s lives.
Nobody should enjoy any complacency that their actions will not go unpunished as deaths of the people are increasing in number for the failures of the City Corporations or any particular ministry. Our past at least confirms this much.
