Shawdesh desk:

The country will go into seven-day strict lockdown on Thursday as the coronavirus situation has taken a serious turn with the gradual increase in fatalities and infections from the virus.

The Cabinet Division published a gazette notification on the fresh lockdown on Wednesday morning.

The shutdown will be in force from 6:00am on July 1 to July 7 midnight.

Members of the army along with law enforcement agencies will remain in the field across the country to implement the restrictions to contain the spread of the deadly bug.

Movement of all modes of public transport except will remain suspended during the lockdown. However, rickshaws and goods-laden vehicles will be kept outside the purview of the restrictions.

All shopping malls, markets, resorts, tourist spots, community and recreation centres will remain closed.

However, mills and factories, including ready-made garment, will be open during the complete lockdown maintaining health guidelines.

Food shops, hotels and restaurants can remain open from 8:00am to 8:00pm only for providing takeaway/online services.

The government on Friday took decision to enforce complete lockdown across the country as per the recommendations of the National Technical Committee on Covid-19.

The national technical committee on Covid-19 suggested a 14-day lockdown but the government has decided to impose lockdown for seven days. Decision of extending lockdown will be taken after analysing the corona situation.

The government on Tuesday also extended the closure of all secondary and higher secondary educational institutions until July 31.

Earlier, the government on June 16 last extended the countrywide ‘so-called’ lockdown for a month until July 15 reopening all government and private offices, autonomous organisations, banks and financial institutions.

On Monday, the closure of the border with India was extended for another 14 days until July 14. The border was first closed on April 26 to check spread of corona transmission

On June 6, the government extended the countrywide lockdown for 10 days until June 16, saying the deputy commissioners of high-risk districts can announce lockdown in their respective areas after discussion with the local representatives and the committees concerned.

Due to a rise in coronavirus cases from mid-March, the government imposed a relaxed lockdown for one week from April 5.

But the government allowed resumption of public transport services in city corporation areas from April 7 as well as reopening of shops and markets for five days from April 9 in the face of protests against the lockdown.

The relaxed lockdown was extended for two more days until April 13. As per the suggestions of health experts, the government enforced a stricter lockdown from April 14 to April 22, which was extended until July 15 in phases.

On May 8 last, the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) confirmed the detection of the Delta variant, which was classified by the World Health Organization as a “variant of global concern”, in Bangladesh.