Bangladesh orders compulsory quarantine for returnees from abroad

The government of Bangladesh today issued a set of directives, including sending returnees from abroad to a 14-day compulsory quarantine and shutting down all educational institutions till March 31, as part of precautionary measures against the deadly coronavirus.

The country's cabinet also directed the authorities concerned, particularly the local administration, to pursue its massive awareness campaign across the country to stop the spread of coronavirus in its regular weekly meeting with Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina in the chair at her office here.

Briefing journalists, Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam said, "The cabinet today took some decisions including sending the people who came from abroad to a 14-day compulsory quarantine."

The divisional commissioner of Rangpur was sent to quarantine for 14 days immediately after he had returned from abroad, he said.

He added that the cabinet also decided to take legal action if anyone violates its directives.

In this context, he referred to an incident that the deputy commissioner of Manikganj fined a Saudi returnee Taka 10,000 as he violated the quarantine related directives.

He said if anyone is infected with the novel coronavirus by any patient it must go through legal action.

The government's top bureaucrat asked the parents to keep their children indoors as the government has shut down the educational institutions such as school, colleges, madrasas, and universities.

He however warned of taking legal action if any student is found roaming outside their residences without any logical grounds.

The cabinet secretary said that they have already directed the authorities concerned such as the local administrations and imams of mosques to pursue a massive awareness campaign across the country so none is infected with fever, cough and cold related diseases.

He said they have asked the government officials and employees not to come to office with fever, cough and cold related diseases.