The districts along the Bangladesh-India border in Khulna and Rajshahi divisions have continued to see record Covid-19 positivity rates and daily deaths. The administrations in Khulna, Chapainawabganj, Satkhira, Bagerhat and Noakhali districts have enforced strict restrictions on movement of people. Health officials said it will be a while before transmission rates begin to fall. To contain the worsening Covid-19 situation, the government has banned travellers from 11 countries with effect from June 4 as experts have suggested more lockdowns and strict measures to avoid a health catastrophe.
The National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 also urged the government to impose complete and area-based lockdowns in border districts with neighbouring India. The expert team forwarded the recommendations amid surging infections, particularly in bordering areas and the spread of the Indian variant in Bangladesh. The team suggested that the government should close restaurants, ban all political and religious gatherings completely, close tourist spots, and increase the number of patrols required to stop illegal entry of people into Bangladesh through the border.
In 24 hours ending on Wednesday morning 11 people were reported dead with Covid-19 in Rajshahi division and nine in Khulna division. During the same period, confirmed new cases were 641 in Rajshahi and 557 in Khulna divisions. The positivity rates were 14.53 per cent in Rajshahi and 36.05 per cent in Khulna. A total of 2,537 people tested positive for coronavirus across the country during the same period. The total number of recorded deaths from Covid-19 stood at 12,949.
The overall transmission rate of the virus has been on the rise since June 2. The positivity rate remained below five per cent in January and February. But it began to rise from the second week of March amid slack enforcement of health safety guidelines. We want to say the government and social and community-based organisations should again make concerted efforts to fight to contain Covid infection and stay beside people with all necessary support. The infection rate and deaths must be brought down at the earliest.
