All government and private offices in Bangladesh will remain closed between March 26 and April 4 as the government on Monday announced general holidays from March 29 to April 2 in a bid to tackle coronavirus situation.
Public transports would be operating on a limited scale during the time and people were asked not to move outside without emergency.
‘The public holidays for all offices and establishments excepting those providing emergency services will be in effect from March 29 to April 2 and weekends before and after the holidays would be merged with it,’ cabinet secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam told reporters at the Cabinet Division after a meeting with prime minister Sheikh Hasina at her office.
He said that army would be deployed from March 24 in aid of the civil administration in divisional and district towns to ensure social distance and overall surveillance to help check spread of coronavirus that already infected 33 and killed at least three in the country.
The government offices which consider their work necessary during the holidays could keep them open.
Responding to a query, principal secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office Ahmed Kaikaus said that the apparel industry owners would decide whether the factories to remain open. Necessary precautions should be ensured for workers’ safety as they are engaged in manufacturing masks and personal protection equipment which are essential in the present situation.
