The Police Headquarters on Sunday said nobody will be allowed either to leave and enter the capital city until further notice.
 
“Other than emergency services, we won’t allow anyone either to enter Dhaka or leave it until further notice from the government,” said Md Sohel Rana, assistant inspector general (AIG-Media) of the Police Headquarters.
 
Bangladesh Police has been working to ensure social distancing and stay-at-home rules as per the government directive, he added.
 
Other than the emergency services as required for the smooth living of the citizens, all types of individual and group movement are prohibited, said AIG Sohel adding, “We’re working to ensure that.”
 
The Bangladesh Police sought cooperation of all concerned and citizens for proper implementation of the government directives and health instructions to this end.
 
Bangladesh on Sunday reported 18 new coronavirus cases in the last 24 hours which is double from Saturday’s. The total number of infection cases in the country is now 88.
 
The country also confirmed another death, taking the total number to nine.
 
The global death toll from novel coronavirus (COVID-19) hit 64,716 till Sunday.
 
The virus, first reported in China, has so far infected 1,201,933 people around the world, according to worldometer.
 
The infected 890,583 people are currently being treated while 42,290 of them in serious or critical condition.
 
So far, 246,634 of those infected have recovered.

The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC)  in Bangladesh has joined hands together with the Prison Directorate and the Ministry of Home Affairs to enhance the preparedness of the 68 prisons across the country to prevent the transmission of coronavirus.
 
It has also started implementing infection prevention control measures to tackle the spread of coronavirus in the prisons, ICRC said on Sunday. 
 
The first batch of such materials was handed over to the prison authorities on Thursday at the country’s central prison in Keraniganj.
 
Detention facilities in general are particularly vulnerable when it comes to preventing and containing infectious diseases, said the ICRC.
 
An outbreak of COVID-19 in a prison could have devastating effects on the population, especially in an overcrowded prison where the health care system is weakened. 
 
One case can quickly spread amongst the prison population, affecting both detainees and prison staff alike, according to ICRC.
 
Simona Cervi, ICRC Bangladesh Detention team leader said they aim to support the prison authorities with recommendations on how to improve the response of coronavirus, and direct support to ensure that a comprehensive response to face the outbreak is put in place, in line with the ICRC guidelines and National Preparedness and Response Plan for COVID-19 in Bangladesh.
 
Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) would be adopted in the prisons both for the primary medical response while ensuring and enforcing compliance with Infection Control and Prevention and hygiene promotion, said ICRC.
 
Additionally, the Bangladesh Red Crescent Society (BDRCS) volunteers would be involved in training the key staff of the prisons; and the newly trained staff would pass on the information to other employees, the detainees and the visitors. 
 
It is expected that every jail would be capable of autonomously putting in place the COVID-19 response measures as agreed with the authorities, according to ICRC.
 
The Inspector General (IG) of Prisons Brigadier General AKM Mustafa Kamal Pasha welcomed ICRC's assistance in preventing infections relating to COVID-19 and said they look forward to ICRC’s continued support and cooperation for prisoners' health care in future as well.
 
The ICRC has been working with the government of Bangladesh to improve the conditions and treatment afforded to detainees in prisons since 2014. 
 
The ICRC said they are continuously working to strengthen the overall prison health system through activities such as improving access to health care for inmates.

The government on Sunday declared April 12 and 13 as general holidays, aiming to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
 
The Public Administration Ministry issued a notification in this regard on Sunday,.
 
Besides, April 14, the first day of Bengali New Year, will be added with the holidays, it said.
 
On March 23, the government  declared general holidays from March 26 to April 4, aiming to prevent the transmission of deadly coronavirus and then extended the holidays until April 9
 
But kitchen markets, food shops, pharmacies, hospitals and all emergency services will remain out of the purview of the general holidays.
 
Another person died from coronavirus and 18 more people tested positive for the virus  during the last 24 hours, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Sunday.
 
“Death toll from the virus infection is now nine. Eighteen more people were tested positive for coronavirus in the last 24hours, raising the number of cases to 88,” he said in an online briefing.

Another person died from coronavirus and 18 more people tested positive for the virus during the last 24 hours, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Sunday.
 
“The death toll from the virus infection is now nine. Eighteen more people were tested positive for coronavirus in the last 24hours, raising the number of cases to 88,” he said in an online briefing.
 
The deceased is a 55-year-old man and a resident of Narayanganj, he said. 
 
Three new people have recovered from the disease, raising the total number of recoveries to 33. 

The minister acknowledged that the return of RMG workers to the capital amid the coronavirus crisis is indeed a terrible act.

 
"This’s in no way good in the current situation. We’ll make sure this type of incident does not occur again...BGMEA, BKMEA are not under the Health Directorate. So, we cannot control their actions," he said. 

Also Read - Coronavirus: Global death toll now 64,716

He said this incident may elevated the number of infections. "Workers will be paid their arrears. However, the number of infections can increase because of the influx. The workers will go back home." 
 
He also mentioned that now this is the time to be more cautious as the country has seen the highest number of infected patients in a single day. "We cannot let coronavirus situation to worsen. If we don't become aware right now, the situation in the country might be like in the USA and Europe."
 
The minister further said the national committee cannot intervene in the decisions of private organisations. 
 
"The national committee formed to handle the coronavirus crisis is monitoring public transportations, lockdowns and health service-related affairs," he added. 
 
Zahid Maleque noted that controversial chloroquine medicine will be used to treat COVID-19 patients.  
 
He also expressed the hope that the number of daily tests across country to be increased to 1000 soon. 

Director of the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) Prof Meerjady Sabrina Flora said there are five clusters across the country which are Mirpur, Basabo, Narayanganj, Madaripur and Gaibandha. 
 
"These clusters have a higher number of patients than the rest of the countries...In Basabo, 11 patients have been identified and the same in Mirpur area. We’re closely monitoring the cluster areas and taking necessary actions. You can say there’s currently cluster-based community transmission of the disease," she said. 
 
Dr Flora warned that widespread community transmission might start if public gathering is not stopped. 
 
Prof Flora mentioned that among the 18 new infected patients, 12 are from Dhaka, five from Narayanganj and one is from Madaripur. Fifteen of them are male and the rest are female. 
 
In the past 24 hours, 367 samples have been tested with 14 PCR testing facilities in the country. 13 among the 18 new infections were identified in IEDCR.  
 
In the last 24 hours, 111 more people have been quarantined across the country. 

Cyber Police of Detective Branch (DB) arrested a lawyer from Uttar Badda in the city on Saturday night for spreading rumour on Facebook.

The arrestee is Abu Bakar Siddique hailing from Vadughor in Brahmanbaria.

Police arrested Sidduque for spreading rumour from his Facebook profile, said Md Sohel Rana, assistant inspector general (AIG-Media) of Police Headquarters.

Siddique’s post claimed that banks and NGOs have suspended collection of instalments for six months and that people are killing themselves because of the intensity of coronavirus.

A case was filed against him.

Police Headquarters urged everyone to inform police (www.facebook.com/cpccidbdpoice) if they see anyone spreading rumour.

They also gave a contact number and email address to inform police for any information in this regard- 01730336431, Email: cyber@police.gov.bd

Earlier on March 30, the Police Headquarters urged people to extend cooperation instead of spreading rumours and misleading information.