Staff Reporter :
The government is phasing out the 66-day’s of shutdown today (Sunday) by reopening offices and resuming public transport services on a limited scale ignoring spike in positive coronavirus cases.
It, earlier, decided not to extend the ongoing shutdown over the coronavirus pandemic, allowing offices to reopen on May 31.
“Offices and other workplaces will be allowed to work, while public transit systems will run in a reduced capacity subject to their compliance with several health and hygiene directives,” State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain said on Wednesday.
“The lockdown won’t be extended. Economic activities will resume on a limited scale. At the same time, people must follow all the health directives to ensure their safety,” he said.
The shutdown, described as a general holiday by the government along with a transport stoppage, started on March 26 after the first COVID-19 cases and deaths were reported in the country. It is now ending after 66 days.
The COVID-19 caseload topped to 44,000 and the death toll crossed 600 on Saturday.
Public health experts raised concern over the government’s latest move warning that consequences could be really ‘serious’ following the phase out of the shutdown.
“The government moves ahead with plans to reopen economies, even as the nation hits a grim milestone of 44,000 positive coronavirus cases,” said a public health expert warning against lifting the restrictions too quickly.
Terming the move a ‘bad idea’ he said, “The pandemic will likely prolong when the virus infection is now in peak stage.”
The government earlier allowed the readymade garment factories to reopen and eased some other restrictions by the end of April when the number of patients and deaths began to increase.
