No one gets in or out of Dhaka, Bangladesh Police chief warns

The police will take stringent measures to stop people from leaving or entering Dhaka during Eid-ul-Fitr amid the coronavirus outbreak, Inspector General Benazir Ahmed has said.

“This isn’t safe and must be stopped,” the IGP said on Sunday as a large number of people began travelling back to their ancestral homes ahead of the Eid.

All must properly follow the health advices of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to avoid coronavirus infection, he added.

Dhaka is currently the epicentre of the COVID-19 epidemic in Bangladesh with the number of infections by far the highest.

The government has ordered all to spend the Eid days this year wherever they are now in an effort to stem the spread of the virus pandemic.

The police are enforcing the health directives and they started sending back travellers bound for southern districts to Dhaka.

IGP Benazir spoke to police officials via video conferencing.

“Until further instructions from the government, no one is allowed to get out or into Dhaka,” he said.

“This lockdown must be strictly implemented in every district and metropolis for the welfare of the people,” he said.

He also ordered the officials to keep an eye on implementing health safety at shopping malls and other commercial centres that have opened ahead of the Eid.

He paid his respects to the policemen who died from the coronavirus.

Benazir asked all members of the force to strictly follow the standard operating procedures to avoid coronavirus infection.