Two cops die from Covid-19

Two sub-inspectors died with coronavirus in the last two days at Central Police Hospital in the capital, raising the Covid-19 death toll among law enforcers to five.

Sultanul Arefin, 44, of Public Order Management (POM) at Dhaka Metropolitan Police, died around 7:00am yesterday at the Intensive Care Unit and Nazir Uddin, 55, of Special Branch, died Friday morning.

Sultanul was admitted to the hospital on April 27 with breathing difficulties and persistent cough. He tested positive for the virus later, said hospital Director Hasan ul Haider.

Sultanul left behind his wife, two daughters, and a son. He was buried after a namaz-e-janaza at his village in Jamalpur.

The other victim, Nazir, showed symptoms over a week ago, Haider said, adding that he had asthma and other underlying conditions. The report that he tested positive came on April 25.

Nazir, who was from Pabna, joined Bangladesh Police in 1983 and had been with the Special Branch since 2013.

Last month, POM assistant sub-inspector Abdul Khaleq, Dhaka North Traffic constable Asheq Mahmud; and Wari Division constable Jasim Uddin died with Covid-19.

A total of 741 members of police tested positive for the virus as of yesterday. Of them, 356 are from the DMP, according to police headquarters.

Most of the rest are from police departments in Narayanganj, Gazipur and Dhaka District, sources in the police headquarters said.

Only 57 members of police have recovered so far.

As more and more police personnel get infected, the Central Police Hospital now has about 450 patients against its 250 beds, Director Haider said.

"It will be almost impossible for us to treat members of the police force if the infection among them continues to rise," said another official of the facility.

DMP has been using at least seven hotels and several schools to keep its members in isolation and in quarantine after the barracks became overcrowded.