Covid-19: Public holiday likely to be extended
Shab-e-Barat and Pohela Boishakh, due over the next fourteen days, are two major events in Bangladesh that involve mass gatherings
The government may extend the overall holiday now set up around the country for 10 more days, considering the global situation arising out of your Covid-19 pandemic.
The revised schedule will include the holiday season of Shab-e-Barat, Easter Sunday and Pohela Boishakh, extending the holidays till mid-April.
Shab-e-Barat and Pohela Boishakh are two major occasions from religious and cultural perspectives in Bangladesh, involving mass gatherings in the united states.
To make sure social distancing so that you can avoid the novel coronavirus from spreading further, Bangladesh happens to be observing a 10-day public holiday, which went underway on March 26 and can continue till April 4.
“We will propose to increase the general public holidays for solidifying the preventive measures used the country,” said Heath Service Division Secretary Asadul Islam.
“A general holiday like this is an effective approach to ensuring social distancing and reducing mass gatherings,” he added.
Health Minister Zahid Maleque, however, said: “Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will need the decision about the holiday extension; it has not been finalized yet.”
A Cabinet Division official also said that your choice about the vacation extension would likely be taken on Tuesday.
“If the holidays will be extended for 10 days or seven days will be decided according to the assessment reports supplied by the deputy commissioners,” the state told Dhaka Tribune on condition of anonymity.
The meeting will be held through a videoconference.
Videoconference with DCs
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will hold a videoconference with the deputy commissioners (DC) on Tuesday for assessing the coronavirus situation around the united states.
The prime minister will hold a conference with the DCs for the first time because the government-enforced nationwide social distancing initiative started, said Md Mustafizur Rahman, divisional commissioner of Dhaka.
“The prime minister will give her directives to the DCs after assessing the country's overall coronavirus situation,” he added.
The prime minister's Principal Secretary Ahmad Kaikaus on Monday also held a videoconference with the divisional commissioners and DCs within the preparation.
World resorting to lockdown, social distancing
Globally, countries are resorting to lockdowns and social distancing to tackle the spread of the deadly virus.
The US has extended its federal guidelines on social distancing for another 30 days till April 30, as public health authorities there warned that the death toll from Covid-19 could reach as high as 200,000.
India has been on a 21-day lockdown since March 24, and Pakistan partially for 14 days from the same day.
France has been observing social distancing for the time March 17- April 15 and Malaysia from March 18 to April 14.
Italy closed down everything from March 9.
Source: www.dhakatribune.com
