RAJSHAHI, April 6, 2020 (BSS)- The government has taken strict measures including imposing a bar on all types of motor vehicles and closure of all consumer shops, except the emergency ones to contain the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19) in the city and its adjacent areas.
The local administration has imposed a ban on plying of all modes of motor vehicles except only the emergency ones here from 6 pm today.
The armed forces and other law-enforcement agencies will remain on high alert at all entry points of the city and the district to check unnecessary movements.
Besides, no shops except the pharmacies will be allowed to remain open in the city during the time.
The decision was taken at a coordination meeting of three committees — Rajshahi City Corporation (RCC), Divisional Administration and District Administration — to contain the spread of coronavirus at the conference hall of Divisional Commissioner’s office here today.
RCC Mayor AHM Khairuzzaman Liton, Fazely Hossain Badsha, MP, Divisional Commissioner Humayun Kabir Khandaker and Deputy Commissioner Hamidul Haque addressed the meeting as focal persons.
Deputy Inspector General of Police AKM Hafiz Akter, Commissioner of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police Humayun Kabir, Divisional Director of Department of Health Dr Gopendra Nath Acharya, Director of Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) Brig Gen Jamilur Rahman, Civil Surgeon Dr Enamul Haque and Principal of Rajshahi Medical College Prof Dr Nawshad Ali also spoke.
The meeting put emphasis on ensuring home quarantine of all the expatriate returnees and called for coordinated efforts of all concerned to curb spread of the virus.
The meeting was told that all the district administration under Rajshahi division have expedited their activities for bringing all the poor families under food support programme.
Commissioner Humayun Kabir Khandaker said more than 2,640 tonnes of rice was distributed among 2,49,862 families so far while Taka 79.86 lakh cash was distributed among 1,13,700 families in the division. Besides, 2,262 more tonnes of rice and Taka 95.84 lakh cash is in stock for distribution.
A total of 609 doctors and 1,196 nurses are working in 169 public and private hospitals in the division. Around 1,753 beds were prepared for treatment of the COVID-19 infected patients to face any emergency situation.
Besides, 6,223 personal protection equipment (PPEs) have already been distributed to protect the frontline medical professionals from getting infected from the virus, the commissioner said, adding around 4,169 PPEs are in stock at present.