Govt extends ongoing closure till April 25

The government today extended the ongoing closure of all public and private offices upto April 25 to contain the spread of coronavirus in the country.

The Public Administration Ministry issued a circular in this regard today.

This is the third time the government extended leave after it first announced the closure of all public and private offices from March 26 to April 4. The first announcement had come on March 23.

Later, the government on April 1 extended the leave from April 5 to 11 as the outbreak situation did not improve. On April 5 it extended the leave from April 12 to 14.

As per the latest circular, utility services such as water, electricity, gas, fire service, telephone, the internet will remain open during the shutdown.

Emergency services will also remain out of purview of the closure, the circular said.

Transportation of agricultural products, fertiliser, insecticides, foods, goods, medical equipment, newspaper, daily essentials and kitchen markets, restaurants, drug stores and hospitals would also remain out of purview of the shutdown, the circular added.

The circular also read that offices can be opened for urgent necessities. Pharmaceuticals and export-oriented mills and factories will remain open if necessary.

The operation of rail, buses and other transport would start gradually for the sake of people's livelihood.