Purba Rajabazar on complete lockdown

Army patrolling was strengthen at Pubra Rajabar area in the capital where an estimated 50,000 people live, as the area came under a strict lockdown purview for two to three weeks from midnight past Tuesday as part of the government’s effort to contain the spread of COVID-19.

Dhaka North City Corporation, local ward councillor, police, Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research, and BRAC is working in coordination in enforcing the lockdown and testing more people in the area.

Residents in the area cannot leave their home except for health workers and journalists, said the authorities, adding that all kinds of vehicular movement, shops and other offices in the area  will remain shut.

An Inter-Services Public Relation statement said on Tuesday that army patrolling was strengthen at Purba Rajabazar to ensure the lockdown in the area on a pilot basis.

The people in Purba Rajabazar, on the eve of beginning the lockdown, were seen rushing to shops at the last moment for buying essential commodities and food items and completing important tasks before the beginning of the lockdown. 

Meanwhile, authorities in Khulna and Bandarban imposed restrictions in different areas of the districts to contain the spread of novel coronavirus infection.

DNCC mayor Atiqul Islam told New Age said that about 50,000 people live in about 800 buildings in the area, having eight entry and exit points and, during the lockdown, only one — Green Road beside IBA Hostel — will be kept open for emergency transportation.

He said that it was a pilot project where they will introduce different measures and try to analyse effectiveness.

Employees of different public and private organizations who live in the area, however, said that they were uncertain about their office attendance.

Mayor Atiqul said that if anyone faced such problems, they can make an application to their control room at the area or the regional DNCC office. ‘The authorities will address the issues and talk to employers to bridge any gaps,’ he said.

DNCC ward No 27 councillor Faridur Rahman Khan Iran said that a control room was set up at Naznin School and College while BRAC representative Farhana Rahman said that they have set up the testing booth and concerned numbers were made available by a public announcement system.

‘We will be avoiding queues there. People with symptoms will contact the concerned numbers and they will be given exact time to appear for testing. We will collect samples and send to IEDCR to testing, said Farhana.     

According to IEDCR, at least 31 people in the area were tested positive for the novel coronavirus so far.

Councillor Faridur said that around 1,500 poor people will be given food assistance during the lockdown.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police deputy commissioner of Tejgaon division Biplob Bijoy Talukdar said that the lockdown would be for two to three weeks.

The move came a week after the government decided to mark the country into three zones — red, yellow and green — depending on the intensity of infections in a particular area to impose further restrictions after reopening of offices and businesses.

A handout of Khulna office of Press Information Department said that in the backdrop of the surge of COVID-19 infected patients, all the shops and shopping centres, except those selling medicine and daily essential commodities, would remain shut in Khulna city for two weeks since Thursday.

It said that the number and activities of mobile courts would be increased during the time so that people follow the health rules.

In Bandarban, the authorities imposed lockdown in Bandarban Sadar and Ruma upazilas, officials at concerned police stations said.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net