Bangladesh government orders lockdown in seven districts

Authorities in Bangladesh announced a lockdown in seven districts in the country amid a surge in coronavirus cases.

Rajbari, Gopalganj,  Gazipur, Munshiganj, Madaripur, Manikganj, Narayanganj districts are set to be put on lockdown from June 22 onwards until June 30.

All government offices are set to remain closed with restrictions on movement, however, essential services including health, utility services and COVID-19 vaccination will continue, the government said.

Vehicles from the lockdown districts will also not be allowed into capital Dhaka except those on emergency services, the government said.

Reports say the positivity rate in Dinajpur district is at 48 per cent as police moved to set up checkpoints to control public movement.

Bangladesh reported a surge in coronavirus cases over the weekend with eighty casualties with the total death toll climbing to over 13,000.

The number of coronavirus cases in the country has now stands at 851,668.

The country has witnessed a slowdown in vaccination after India halted vaccine exports after it was hit by the second wave. Earlier this month, China gave half a million Sinopharm vaccine doses to Bangladesh to fill the shortage.

Bangladesh has imposed a strict lockdown as people furiously packed the last trains, buses and ferries as fresh coronavirus wave hit the country

In May the government had extended its lockdown until May 30 and then extended it once again to combat the spread of the virus.

(With inputs from Agencies)