Home ministry instructs to celebrate Christmas, New Year at home

The Ministry of Home Affairs recently issued an order to scale down the Christmas and New Year celebrations due to the coronavirus pandemic.

A letter has recently been sent from the Public Security Department of the home ministry to various departments and institutions instructing them to limit the gatherings over the festivals.

Restrictions were also imposed on these two events last year due to the pandemic.

On 14 December, a letter was sent from the Public Security Department to the Inspector General of Police, Divisional Commissioner, Metropolitan Police Commissioner, Range DIG, Deputy Commissioner, Superintendent of Police along with the president and general secretary of Bangladesh Christian Association.

The letter, signed by Department of Public Safety Deputy Secretary Shah-e-Elid Mainul Amin, instructed to celebrate the festivals with a very limited gathering and strictly following hygiene rules without holding any public gathering and cultural events.

"Due to the highly infectious coronavirus, all religious and social events, public gatherings around the world are being celebrated in a very limited manner, following hygiene rules. In this connection, religious ceremonies of Muslims, Hindus and Buddhists have been observed in Bangladesh have been celebrated in a limited manner as well," the letter read.

Under the circumstances, Christmas and New Year's Eve celebrations should be scaled down and the local administration and law enforcing agencies should strictly monitor to ensure the instructions are followed, the ministry said.

The letter added that if necessary, the concerned authorities in the upazilas, districts and metropolitan areas should be consulted to enforce health protocols.