Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader yesterday said lockdown may be enforced to prevent further spread of coronavirus.

Bangladesh yesterday confirmed the first death from the novel coronavirus, the victim being a man in his early seventies, amid growing public anxiety over the government’s preparations to contain the spread of the virus.

The Election Commission will decide within a day or two if five by-elections and Chattogram City Corporation (CCC) polls are to be postponed over the coronavirus outbreak, Chief Election Commissioner KM Nurul Huda said yesterday.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) yesterday called on countries under its South-East Asia​ zone, including Bangladesh, to urgently scale-up aggressive measures to combat Covid-19, as confirmed cases crossed 480, and the disease claimed eight lives in the region.

Biman yesterday brought back 409 Bangladeshis, who had been stranded in Saudi Arabia, on a special flight after the Gulf nation suspended air communication with different countries, including Bangladesh, to contain the spread of coronavirus.

The number of deaths from the novel coronavirus in other countries has surpassed those inside China for the first time.

Around a million Rohingya in the refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, along with aid workers, are likely to be among the worst sufferers if coronavirus spreads in the region, feared experts.

After testing around 20 patients suffering from atypical pneumonia, an infection of the respiratory system, the authorities yesterday claimed there has so far been no community transmission cases of coronavirus in the country.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday vowed to build Bangladesh as “Sonar Bangla” soon to realise the dream of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who wanted to ensure a better life for Bangladeshis.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday vowed to build Bangladesh as “Sonar Bangla” soon to realise the dream of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman who wanted to ensure a better life for all Bangladeshis.

Kurigram Deputy Commissioner Sultana Pervin and three of her colleagues were withdrawn yesterday following their controversial role in the conviction of a journalist in the district.

The number of dengue patients admitted to hospitals this year is already around four times higher than that of last year during this time, although the rainy season is still two months away.

Three more people have tested positive for coronavirus bringing the country’s total to eight, according to Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research.

The birth anniversary of Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman is observed today in the country in simple fashion.

“The killers’ bullets took away the Father of the Nation. They tried to erase his name from the history of Bangladesh.

Sampadak Parishad (Editors’ Council) has demanded withdrawal of a case filed against journalist Ariful Islam, who was arrested from home in the dead of night and jailed for one year.

Cafes, shops and restaurants shut down across France and Spain yesterday and travellers faced chaos at US airports as governments stepped up their fight against the coronavirus pandemic which has now reportedly killed more than 6,000.

Europe, according to WHO, is the new epicentre of COVID-19 pandemic today. Of that epicentre, Italy is the worst affected followed by Spain.

A young female patient with gastrointestinal complications died at Dhaka Medical College Hospital on Saturday afternoon.

As the number of coronavirus cases continues to rise globally, so too does its impact on the country’s tourism sector.