Restrictions tightened in Shibchar
The administration yesterday deployed around 250 policemen to ensure that no one enters or leaves four neighbourhoods in Madaripur's Shibchar upazila.
Public transport has been suspended in all of Shibchar and locals were requested to avoid public gatherings to prevent coronavirus infection, officials said.
Police will see to it that the people advised to be in home quarantine are properly following the guidelines and the prices of essentials are not hiked, they added.
"It cannot be termed a lockdown. We have isolated some areas in Shibchar. It means we have restricted public movement in those areas to prevent infection," Deputy Commissioner Wahidul Islam of Madaripur told The Daily Star.
The areas are Pachar, Bahertola, and ward-2 and 3 of Shibchar municipality.
As per international practice, under a lockdown people are barred from leaving home except to buy food or essentials, visit the doctor or get to a job certified not doable from home. They must carry a special document, certifying why they are outside, to show security forces.
Upazila Health and Family Planning Officer Shashanka Chandra Gosh said 72 people who recently returned to the areas from different countries were asked to be in home quarantine.
Six others have been kept in isolation at Upazila Health Complex and Madaripur General Hospital, he added.
DC Wahidul said, "No one will be outside without a valid reason."
Shops, except the ones selling daily essentials and drug stores, have been shuttered in the areas, he added.
If necessary, only one member of a family in those areas will be allowed to leave home to buy essentials.
Health department officials have collected blood samples from several suspected coronavirus patients who were admitted to hospitals, Civil Surgeon Shofikul Islam said.
The samples were sent to Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research in the capital for tests, he said.
At a press conference at Shibchar Police Station yesterday afternoon, Deputy Inspector General (Dhaka Range) Nur-e Alam Mina said police will make sure that people who returned from abroad are not wandering about.
Shibchar Upazila Nirbahi Officer Md Asaduzzaman said people have been abiding by the restrictions.
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