Dhaka: Bangladesh government has announced to deploy members of the Armed Forces across the country from Tuesday to ensure social distancing and take cautionary measures to contain the spread of coronavirus across the country.
Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam made the announcement in an emergency press conference at the Secretariat on Monday.
He said “From tomorrow (March 24), the Armed Forces will be deployed to assist local administration in the divisional and district cities.”
“In coordination with the district magistrates, they (Army members) will review the medical system and quarantine of suspected persons in the district and divisional levels coronavirus patients,” he added.
The secretary said the military will review whether especially expatriates are flawed during the mandatory quarantine. District magistrates will request the local army commander to review the status, according to the law.
The Army has been directed to coordinate the activities of Corona by keeping in touch with all the Deputy Commissioners and all GOCs have been requested to coordinate with the deputy commissioners, he added.
He said all the government and private offices will remain closed from March 26 to April 4 to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
Only kitchen markets, hospitals and other emergency services will remain opened during this time.
The Bangladesh Bank will instruct banks to limit their services during the period, the cabinet secretary added.
He also urged people not to come out of homes unless it is an emergency and advised all to maintain enough protective measures while using public transports.
“From March 24, Armed Forces will be deployed to help the civil administrations under ‘In Aid to Civil Power’ for social distancing, take cautionary measures and review the quarantine of suspected persons in divisional and districts cities” according to a press release of ISPR (Inter Services Public Relations) Directorate.
The fast spreading Covid-19 has claimed more than 15,337 lives and infected over 351,067 globally, according to Worldometer till filing the report at 6:55pm.
In Bangladesh, 33 people have been infected with coronavirus and three deaths reported till Monday.
