Govt directs regional administrators to ensure mask-wearing

The government has directed regional administrators to ensure the wearing of masks in light of the recent surge in Covid-19 cases and deaths in the country.

The Cabinet Division sent letters to divisional commissioners, deputy commissioners and upazila nirbahi officers in this regard on Saturday.

The letter said: “The rates of Covid-19 infection and mortality have seen an increase recently. To tackle the situation, it is necessary to ensure that everyone follows the health and safety guidelines, including wearing masks.”

The spike in infections was discussed at a cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina on Tuesday, reports Bangla Tribune.

After the pandemic broke out in Bangladesh, the government initiated a “No Mask, No Service” policy across the country.

“Recently, it has been noticed that people are reluctant to wear masks in public places, which is why the government issued a new directive [to ensure mask-wearing] to curb the spread of coronavirus,” a top official of the government told Dhaka Tribune.

Bangladesh on Sunday recorded 1,159 new Covid-19 cases — the highest this year.

The last time daily coronavirus cases crossed the 1,100 mark was on December 30, 2020 (1,235).

The number of total confirmed cases so far stands at 557,395.

The country also logged 18 more Covid-19 deaths in the 24 hours till Sunday morning, taking the total number of fatalities to 8,545.