861 died showing virus symptoms
At least 861 people have died after showing Covid-19-like symptoms from March 22 to June 6, said a report of Dhaka University's Centre for Genocide Studies.
The country saw 124 such deaths between May 31 and June 6, up from 73 in the previous week, it added.
The study, however, said all the deaths might not have been related to Covid-19 as many of the deceased tested negative for the virus.
The CGS presented the report styled "Covid-19 Graphics" before the media yesterday. It is the ninth edition of a series of such reports prepared by Bangladesh Peace Observatory (BPO), an initiative of CGS.
The report was prepared based on news reports published or aired by 25 media outlets, including national and local dailies, online news sites, and television channels.
According to the latest report, some 737 people died of Covid-19-like symptoms from March 22 to May 30. However, the previous report of CGS said the number was 720.
Asked about the difference, Humayun Kabir, assistant research manager at BPO, said they found recorded incidents which took place between May 24 and 30, but those were reported in the media the following week.
That's way some incidents which occurred between May 24 and 30 have been recorded in the latest report, Humayun told The Daily Star over the phone.
The report stated that 83 incidents of spreading rumour over Covid-19 were recorded in the country. At least 87 people, including the highest 35 from Dhaka division, were arrested in connection with those incidents.
Furthermore, 473 people were picked up and another 9,557 fined between the second week of March and June 6 for committing various offences related to the virus outbreak, including relief embezzlement, violation of social distancing rules, arranging social gatherings, and opening businesses.
At least 448 people were reportedly detained, fined and seven were arrested across the country between May 31 and June 6. Most of the fines and penalties were imposed due to the violation of health and safety regulations in public transport and business institutions after the general holidays ended on May 30.
The report found that 138 protests took place across the country between April 26 and May 6. Some 45 percent of the demonstrations was organised demanding unpaid wages and Eid bonuses and 33 percent demanding relief, aid or food.
Eleven percent of the protests was staged over shutdown rules, lay-offs, and waiver of rents, while six percent was organised against irregularities in the distribution of relief, aid or food and five percent against hike in bus fares, the CGS said.Besides, 123 incidents of violence related to novel coronavirus took place between March 1 and June 6, resulting in 13 deaths and 541 injuries, the report added.
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