A third Chinese city has locked down its residents because of a COVID-19 outbreak, raising the number confined to their homes in China to about 20 million people.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque today said the government has not yet made any decision on lockdown although the rate of coronavirus infection has gone up.

The National Technical Advisory Committee (NTAC) on Covid-19 urged the government to revise its decision to ease lockdown from Wednesday.

The government is lifting most of the coronavirus restrictions from August 19, even as the number of deaths reported daily from Covid-19 continues to be over 200. 

After a period of pandemic-induced calm, Dhaka is back to its usual chaotic self.

The “strict lockdown” is set to end tomorrow. However, judging by the significant rise in public and vehicular movement in the capital yesterday, one could say it has already been lifted.

Farmers, growing different varieties of winter vegetable saplings on floating seed-beds in the district, are gradually getting frustrated, fearing huge losses due to the countrywide lockdown and incessant rain during this peak time of the year.

Huge number of vehicles, except public transport, were seen on Dhaka streets today -- two days before the government-enforced lockdown ends.

The third day of the latest phase of ongoing nationwide lockdown yesterday saw significant number of vehicles plying on the capital’s different streets.

The government has decided to lift most of the restrictions on people’s movement and public transport from Wednesday even as Covid-19 continues to exact a heavy toll on people’s lives with high death and infection rates.

The government has decided to allow all public transport to operate at full capacity across the country from August 11.

The second day of the latest phase of ongoing nationwide lockdown yesterday saw significant number of vehicles plying on the capital’s different streets.

Hoping to turn a handsome profit, Jasim Uddin took a Tk 50,000 loan from a local non-governmental organisation to grow pointed and bottle gourds on 40 decimals of land in Rahamatpur village in Jashore.

Although the government extended the ongoing lockdown for another five days till August 10 to curb the spread of coronavirus, it seemed to have little to no effect on people as many were out on the street yesterday.

Although shopping malls and markets are closed and public transport remains suspended, the city streets look almost normal with people violating lockdown by coming out of home and moving around on rickshaws, vans and private cars.

Cabinet Division today issued a circular, extending the ongoing restrictions on public and transport movement till August 10, considering the current Covid-19 pandemic situation.

Law enforcers scrambled to impose Covid-19 lockdown restrictions in Dhaka yesterday, as the capital witnessed some rush-hour traffic in the morning.

On 12th day of the “strict lockdown”, the streets of Dhaka was found loaded with vehicles, bringing back its chaotic days. Everything except public transports were plying city streets and people wandering around with little or no regard to the health guidelines.

The ongoing nationwide lockdown has been extended till August 10, considering the current Covid-19 pandemic situation.

Workers of export-oriented factories yesterday braved untold sufferings as they headed towards their workplaces in Dhaka and adjacent areas for the third consecutive day.