General Holidays to Be Extended until May 30

The Government is expanding public holidays until 30 May to curtail coronavirus spread, as it continues to take more lives and infect a larger number of people every day across Bangladesh.

Farhad Hossain, Minister of State for Public Administration, informed media that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed to extend the holidays. 

A gazette notification will be issued on Wednesday or Thursday in this regard, he said.

"Travel restrictions will be enforced," Hossain said, adding that no vehicle will be permitted to drive on the roads four days before and two days after Eid-ul - Fitr, except for emergency services.

On 23 March, the government declared a general holiday from 26 March to 4 April to curtail the spread of coronavirus.

Later, the holidays were expanded five times until 5 May. Notification on 25 April contained the Order that all ministries, divisions and sub-offices participating in the provision of emergency services will stay accessible on a limited scale through extended general holidays.

On the same day, the Ministry of Public Administration said that government offices at the division , district and Upazila levels under 18 ministries and divisions will remain open on a limited scale.

The government closed down all educational institutions and shut down train, road, river and air communications to avoid the transmission of the highly infectious virus.

In the midst of a high risk of coronavirus spread, several garment factories reopened on 26 April, and factory owners reported that they were collaborating with workers in Dhaka to resolve hygiene problems.

Coronavirus or COVID-19, first identified in China in December last year, affects 212 countries and territories across the world.

Bangladesh has so far confirmed 17,822 coronavirus cases and 269 deaths until Wednesday.

Source: UNB