Govt to cancel Independence Day programmes

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the government has planned to cancel the programmes of the coming up Independence Day celebration.

The premier said this after casting vote in the Jatiya Sangsad by-polls to Dhaka-10 constituency amid the government instructions discouraging meetings and mass gatherings.

Sheikh Hasina asked those who have returned from abroad recently to strictly follow the health procedure and the 14-day quarantine procedure. "Please, don't go here and there…you shouldn't put others' lives in danger."

Mentioning that an unnatural situation prevailing across the globe due to the coronavirus outbreak, she said this virus has spread to 181 countries. "We took all-out measurers when it was seen in China…whoever came from abroad we checked them; we put them in quarantine in the case of any suspicion."

Briefly describing various government measures taken to contain the coronavirus spread, she said, "We've taken safety measures for doctors, nurses and others who are working there, we're collecting whatever is needed from home and abroad. We also provided security materials for the immigration police," she said.

She hoped that the people of the country will follow the procedures properly.

Hasina said the government has suspended all the programmes of the birth centenary celebration of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman due to the coronavirus. "We've to stop mass gatherings so that this virus cannot spread."

The Prime Minister cast her vote by using Electronic Voting Machine (EVM) at Dhaka City College centre at Dhanmondi at 9:10 in the morning.