Army to enforce strict lockdown, no movement pass this time
Police and BGB members will also be deployed
The government has decided to engage the Armed Forces, Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) and Battalion Police to enforce seven-day countrywide strict restrictions from 1 July as the Covid-19 situation has taken a dangerous turn in the country.
These forces will be empowered to take all measures to implement the lockdown effectively, Cabinet Secretary Khandaker Anwarul Islam on Monday told the media at the Secretariat, after emerging from the weekly Cabinet meeting.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chaired the meeting held at the Cabinet room of the Jatiya Sangsad Bhaban.
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"There will be no movement passes…None can go outside as they will have to stay indoors," said the cabinet secretary.
He further stated that a notification will be issued on Tuesday to inform the people of the government's directives regarding the restrictions.
"We are going with a tough stance to execute the movement restrictions from 1 July at 6am to 7 July midnight," he said, while replying to a question from reporters.
Only those engaged in providing emergency services will be allowed outside during the lockdown, he added.
In the cabinet meeting, the Ministry of Disaster Management and Relief was given a clear directive to sort out a programme to ensure proper assistance for the poor particularly in the urban areas during the upcoming restriction as it did last year, said the cabinet secretary.
Mentioning that a meeting was held with the home minister in the chair on Saturday last to discuss the restrictions, he said they will meet again to discuss the lockdown details and then the government will issue a notification on Tuesday.
He further said that the government cannot go for a strict lockdown before 30 June on some realistic grounds.
Anwarul Islam said the Covid infection rate has declined significantly in Chapainawabganj due to the enforcement of a strict lockdown there.
The government has announced the seven-day strict lockdown from 1 July to curb the transmission of the dreaded Covid-19, after the National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 recommended a 14-day strict shutdown be imposed across the country considering the worsening Covid-19 situation.
The army was deployed across the country in April last year to enforce social distancing rules as the government geared up its fight against the coronavirus pandemic.
