Govt to divide country into red, yellow, and green zones
Dhaka, Narayanganj, Gazipur and Chittagong have high infection rate till date
The country will be divided into three colour zones, red, green, and yellow, to control the infection and death rates from Covid-19 more effectively.
The Health Minister Zahid Maleque disclosed the decision on Monday after a meeting chaired by Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan at the secretariat.
The three colour zone classification will be based on the number of coronavirus cases in different areas of the country.
Dhaka, Narayanganj, Gazipur and Chittagong have high infection rates till date. Highly affected areas will be temporarily locked down if necessary, he said.
Yellow zones have comparatively fewer cases where houses of infected patients will be locked down.
Special initiatives will be taken in the areas where there are no Covid-19 cases so that no one can enter from outside.
Additional Secretary Habibur Rahman Khan said, "The virus has not infected 80 percent areas of the country so the whole country will be divided into three zones very soon to prevent coronavirus spread."
"Security measures in red zone areas will be strengthened so that no one can go out of the area. The red and yellow zone areas will be gradually turned to green zones if the decision is followed strictly," he said.
He further added, "Zoning will be done by analyzing Covid-19 confirmed cases. The Department of Health has already been asked to submit information regarding this."
The meeting was attended by Local Government Minister Md Tajul Islam, Dhaka North City Corporation Mayor Mohammad Atiqul Islam, South City Corporation Mayor Barrister Fazle Noor Taposh, Narayanganj City Corporation Mayor Selina Hayat Ivy, Gazipur City Corporation Mayor Jahangir Ahmed and Inspector General of Police, Benazir Ahmed were present in the meeting.
The death toll from the deadly virus rose to 672 in Bangladesh and the number of total infections stood at 49,534 as of today.