Bangladesh Army to assist civil administration in coronavirus fight

The army will assist the civil administration at the field level in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak as Bangladesh has confirmed 33 infections with three fatalities.

Troops will be deployed in the divisional cities and district towns on Tuesday, Cabinet Secretary Khandkar Anwarul Islam told a media conference at the Secretariat in Dhaka on Monday.

They will help the local authorities take steps to ensure social distancing and other precautionary measures to stop the spread of the virus.

The army will also review arrangements for treatment of coronavirus patients and mandatory quarantine of returnees from abroad and their close contacts.

The district magistrates will request help from the local army commander for the review following the law, the cabinet secretary said.

The Inter Services Public Relations Directorate or ISPR said in a media release later that the armed forces will be deployed “In Aid to Civil Power” in the administrative headquarters at the divisional and district levels and coastal regions.

The army will work at the request of the district magistrates to ensure proper home quarantine while the navy will assist the civil administration and the air force has been tasked with emergency transport like medical equipment to hospitals.

The armed forces will work to ensure social distancing and other precautionary measures from Tuesday, it added.