Dhaka, Apr 14 (FN Agency) Strict restrictions have been imposed across Bangladesh for eight days (from 6 am on April 14 to 12 midnight on April 21) to deal with the ongoing second wave of coronavirus. A 13-point circular issued by the cabinet on Monday made it clear that offices, including the media (print and electronic media) and other emergency and essential goods and services offices, their staff and vehicles would be exempted from the ban. The day-to-day activities of the media and those associated with it, normal travel and movement of their vehicles will be free from government restrictions.
Police launched a special app on Tuesday to give ‘movement pass’ to control the movement of people in the eight-day lockdown, but Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed said media personnel would not need this pass. The government notification said, “Law and order and emergency services, such as agricultural inputs (fertilizers, seeds, pesticides, agricultural machinery, etc.), transportation of food grains and foodstuffs, relief distribution, healthcare, Covid-19 vaccination, electricity, water, gas / fuel, Fire service, port (land port, river port and seaport) activities, telephone and internet (public-private), media (print and electronic media), private security, offices related to other essential and essential goods and services including postal service, their staff and vehicles: This will be out of the scope of the ban.
The notification further said that during the lockdown, the factory can be kept under its own management by following the hygiene rules. However, it is necessary to ensure that the workers are brought and taken under the transport management of their respective organisations. Restrictions will not apply to the transportation of goods, manufacturing and emergency services.