Bangladesh Announces Nationwide Lockdown From July 1 To Curb 'Dangerous And Alarming' Surge Of Covid-19 Cases

Bangladesh government has announced that it will enforce a nationwide all-out lockdown from Thursday (July 1) to check the spread of Covid-19, The Dhaka Tribune reported

The decision came from a high-level meeting on Saturday presided over by Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan.

The strict lockdown decision was attributed to "dangerous and alarming" surge in Delta variant cases of coronavirus.

"Other than emergency services, all government and private offices will remain closed. No one will be allowed to go out of home without urgent reasons," an official order said.

All kinds of transports, except for those carrying emergency supplies, will remain suspended during the lockdown. However, ambulances and vehicles used for healthcare services and media would be exempted from the curbs.

All government and private offices will remain closed during the lockdown.

The government is working to take necessary measures to provide cash assistance and food, including rice, edible oil and other commodities to poor who are affected during the countrywide "strict lockdown", Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal said.

Infection rates have been rising sharply since mid-May in Bangladesh, home to around 170 million people.

On Friday the government recorded almost 6,000 new cases and 108 fatalities, the second-highest death toll yet in the pandemic.