The government has ordered its citizens to wear masks whenever they go out of homes to limit the transmission of the novel coronavirus.
A circular was issued in this regard by the Health Ministry on Tuesday afternoon.
Bangladesh has been recording a high number of coronavirus cases and deaths in the past few weeks even after the number of tests had gone down.
The country now has more than 200,000 officially confirmed cases and over 2,700 casualties caused by the deadly virus.
Health experts suggest strictly maintaining hygiene rules and wearing masks as effective ways to stop the highly contagious virus from spreading further.
The government order came only days before the country’s Muslims are scheduled to celebrate the Eid-ul-Azha.
The circular said everyone must wear masks while visiting all hospitals – both public and private – and the concerned hospital authorities will ensure that.
The use of masks must be ensured at educational institutions, mosques, temples, and churches as well.
Moreover, buyers and sellers at shopping malls, shops, and stores must use masks, the circular said.
The concerned local administrations, steering committees, and market management committees have been ordered to ensure the matter.
Similarly, shoppers and sellers at local haats are ordered to wear masks. Buyers and sellers will not be allowed to trade without wearing a mask and the local administrations and the haat-bazaar committees will ensure it.
Drivers, their assistants, and passengers of public transports (road, sea, rail, and air) must use masks and the passengers must wear a mask before boarding the transports.
The authorities concerned, law enforcement agencies, and the owners’ associations have been ordered to ensure it.
Workers in all industries, including RMG factories, must use masks and the authorities concerned and owners will ensure the matter.
The circular further said that the use of masks by all pedestrians, hawkers, rickshaw pullers, and van drivers should be ensured and it will be done by the law enforcement agencies.
People working in hotels and restaurants must wear masks and the matter needs to be ensured by the local administrations and the owners’ associations concerned. Besides, people attending all kinds of social events need to wear masks.
Healthy members of a family must use masks if there is any patient at home with symptoms of Covid-19, the circular added.
