Editorial Desk :
Widespread violations of health guidelines across the country were witnessed in the last two days after the relaxation of lockdown restrictions from Thursday on public transports and businesses. The government has withdrawn the restrictions for eight days with a view to allowing people’s movement ahead of Eid-ul-Azha amid concerns of a further worsening of the pandemic situation.
The government’s relaxation of restriction for eight days does not mean that the corona will take a break during this time. Whether the restrictions are strict or relaxed, there is no alternative to compliance with health guidelines. From the beginning the government has relied mainly on the administration to tackle the pandemic and the impact it has had on public life. Health experts have already warned that relaxation of the restrictions would lead to an increase in both corona cases and deaths over the next few weeks.
Chaos has returned to Dhaka city roads while shopping malls, kitchen markets and
shops drew huge crowds as Eid will be celebrated on July 21 amid lax monitoring. But the basic health rules — social distancing, wearing masks and using hand sanitizer — were almost not maintained in public transports in the city and elsewhere. Expressing deep concerns, the National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 has recommended extending the restrictions for two more weeks from July 23.
Meanwhile, many people have lost their livelihoods due to two consecutive weeks of strict lockdown. The government has relaxed restrictions till the Eid, though deaths and infection rates remain on rise. The average number of daily deaths for a week has been more than 200. Hospitals are struggling to cope with the influx of Covid patients. The healthcare system outside Dhaka is fragile. If there is a bed in the hospital, there is no ICU, if there is ICU, there is no oxygen.
Despite all the mismanagement and indulgence in corruption the government is little disturbed. They are concerned with protecting themselves from the Corona virus. Being unpopular the people are angry for their failures to take care of the people. The people are not keen to listen to the government even when an advice is good. So the leaders in villages get together to follow the safety measure. One must do it for one’s life and life of dear ones.
Government restrictions or not, our people observe the safety measure like wearing masks and avoiding crowded places. When the people are losing lives in large numbers we are going through national mourning.
