The government yesterday said effective immediately, no one, except those employed by mosques, are allowed to offer daily or Juma prayers at mosques across the country.

President Donald Trump warned Americans to brace for a “very horrendous” number of coronavirus deaths in the coming days as the number of people infected in the US has exceeded 3,00,000 with the death toll climbing past 8,400.

At least three people died with Covid-19-like symptoms yesterday in three districts -- Madaripur, Netrakona and Cumilla.

If you knew that the beginning of next month, you would have no money, none at all, how badly would you try to save your job?

People are not being allowed to enter or leave Dhaka except for emergency, police said yesterday as countrywide shutdown imposed to slow down coronavirus transmission was extended until April 14.

The authorities have said that community transmission of coronavirus is indeed happening, but it is limited to five clusters across the country.

Division among influential owners over the closure of garment factories and an absence of specific instructions from the government had sent thousands of workers into a dangerous scramble to get back to Dhaka.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday announced four new stimulus packages of Tk 67,750 crore to overcome the possible economic shock from the ongoing shutdown enforced to prevent the coronavirus spread.

The BNP yesterday demanded that a special fund of Tk 87,000 crore should be allocated to tackle the impacts of coronavirus on the country’s economy.

“No one can imagine how difficult just trying to breathe can be ... This experience can’t be explained … It felt like I returned from the jaws of death.”

Never in recent history has Dhaka city been this hungry. Even when disaster struck elsewhere in the country -- when crops failed, homes washed away by rivers, villages flooded -- the city always had space to take in more.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque yesterday said the government will be forced to revoke the licence of private healthcare service providers who refuse to treat patients during the coronavirus crisis.

While organisations and individuals keep coming up with support for the poor amid the countrywide shutdown, many lawmakers are yet to be seen on the ground.

Many were walking for miles, many travelled in crammed pickup vans and trucks meant for carrying goods. There was no scope for maintaining social distancing, which is crucial to contain the spread of coronavirus.

With multiple coronavirus testing facilities now detecting more cases, experts feel even more people from every region need to be tested immediately.

India yesterday reported its biggest jump in number of new coronavirus cases as top doctors warned of an “onslaught” that could cripple the health system to levels far beyond what Europe and the United States are experiencing.

Five more people tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the country’s total to 61, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said yesterday.

After the government suspended the Higher Secondary School Certificate and equivalent examinations on March 22 amid growing uncertainty over coronavirus, education officials recommend the examinees see an opportunity in the delay and prepare better.

The country’s economy will suffer a lot if there is a significant coronavirus outbreak, the Asian Development Bank said yesterday.

The number of confirmed coronavirus deaths accelerated past 55,000 yesterday as the United States, Spain and Britain grappled with their highest tolls yet and the world economy took a massive hit.