Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Malek said, 'The way homebound people are taking advantage of the slight relaxation of the lockdown and traveling from one district to another district without any regard for hygiene is a suicidal decision.
The health minister said these things in an exchange meeting with departmental level officials of the four border areas of the country on what to do to deal with the new Indian variant virtually.
The minister said that thousands of people are dying every day due to new variants in the neighboring country India. The new Indian variant has now spread to Nepal and is wreaking havoc there. This variant has now come to our country. At such a critical time, if the housebound people go to the village on Eid with this virus in their bodies, then the villagers along with their families may be infected.
According to the health minister, even in urban areas, people are now moving recklessly. In the big departmental cities of the country including Dhaka, people are moving in piles of different vehicles including shopping malls. If allowed to continue like this, a dire situation like India-Nepal may arise in the country after Eid. Therefore, the concerned officials in charge of each border area must work strictly. All people, including families of people traveling to India from border areas, should be subjected to rapid and mandatory covid testing. Urgent steps should be taken to ensure that no vehicle in the border area can move outside its district. Considering the security of the country, the concerned officials have to take more strict decisions in this case if necessary.
In the meeting Khulna Divisional Commissioner said that currently 2700 people traveling to India are under home quarantine in Khulna divisional area. They have been kept under constant surveillance. Besides, truck drivers and helpers entering through port from India are not allowed to move in any way. Their isolation measures are strictly enforced.
