Bangladesh is suspending its anti-coronavirus shutdown for more than a week to help businesses and ease public movement ahead of the Muslim Eid-al-Adha festival next week.
A government notice on Tuesday said restrictions will be relaxed from midnight on Wednesday to the morning of July 23, as the predominantly Muslim South Asian country celebrates Eid-al-Adha on July 21.
“The decision was taken to allow people’s movement, operation of pre-festival businesses and commerce in consideration of the overall socio-economic condition of the country,’’ the notice said.
The government urged people to wear masks and maintain physical distancing during the period.
However, a strict national lockdown would be reimposed for two weeks from the morning of July 23, shutting offices, malls and modes of transport, according to the notice.
This will include a full closure of factories, which at present are allowed to operate conditionally under the current lockdown that began on July 1, to counter a surge in Coronavirus cases.
Soldiers were deployed to help the civil administration restrict movement during the current lockdown.
Bangladesh on Monday logged a record daily virus caseload of 13,768 and 220 deaths, with hospitals struggling to cope with the patients.
The country has so far reported 1,035,957 cases and 16,639 deaths since the virus emerged in March last year. (dpa/NAN)
