Bangladesh begins deploying troops to fight coronavirus outbreak

Deployment of the army has begun in the whole of Bangladesh to assist the civil administration at the field level in the fight against the coronavirus outbreak as dozens of cases have been reported in the country.

Troops were being mobilised at the field level from Monday morning, said Abdullah Ibn Zaid, director of Inter Service Public Relations or ISPR.

“Army deployment has begun. They are already deployed in some parts of the country and will reach other parts on Wednesday,” he told bdnews24.com.

“They will recce different districts and Upazilas on Tuesday to assist the local administration. Also, they’ll decide on the necessary accessories and coordination process and then establish camps where needed.”

The soldiers will also provide medical assistance at the divisional cities and district towns if needed, he said.

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

ARMY ARRIVED IN FARIDPUR

A team of army from Savar Cantonment reached Faridpur.

Team leader Lt Col Masud parvez joined the emergency meeting at the district commissioner’s office on Tuesday.

Faridpur Deputy Commissioner Atul Sarker, Civil Surgeon Dr Siddiqur Rahman, Police Superintendent Alimuzzaman and high-ups from the health department, and Fire Service were present in the meeting.

Crowd thinned at markets and other public places after the district administration issued a public notice to curb movement of people. The number of people in offices and streets were also comparatively lower.

The number of returnees increased to 5,773 in Faridpur as of Tuesday, said SP Alimuzzaman. They went to the households of 2,523 among them to enquire about their condition, he said.

“At present 1,270 returnees are under home quarantine and 2,316 returnees have finished their quarantine,” he told bdnews24.com.