Police introduce ‘free food at home’ in Ctg 

The Chattogram Metropolitan Police (CMP) has launched free food services aiming at the middle-class people amid the shutdown to curb novel coronavirus spread.

Police said it will deliver food items upon receiving a call or mobile text to the CMP hotlines, keeping the identity of the help-seekers secret. 

CMP Commissioner Mahabubur Rahman said everyone provides for the low-income people while the middle-class remains mostly overlooked. Thousands of people belonging to the class are out there who still remain hungry at home. 

"They cannot seek help due to prestige or social status. That is why CMP has taken the initiative," he added. 

The country went into an apparent shutdown as the government announced a 10-day general holiday from March 26 in a bid to curb coronavirus spread. The deadline of the vacation was later extended to April 11 from April 4.   

The ongoing shutdown has frozen all financial activities putting people in a fix.  

CMP South Division Commissioner Abdur Rauf said police will maintain strict secrecy about the help seekers.  

Cops will not even use shopping bags to reach out the people so that the neighbours cannot notice anything, he added. 

A number of Chattogram dwellers have appreciated the initiative of police. 

The CMP initiative appears to be a relief to me in such a crisis moment, said a local of the port city.

Preferring anonymity, the man said he used to work for a superstore. He lost his job as the shutdown took place. "I could not even manage to borrow money to support my family since then, and my struggle almost reached to the edge," he added.  

 The CMP hotlines are — 01400400400 and 01880808080. 

North Division numbers are:

Chandgaon police station: 01769695669

Panchlaish police station: 01769695670

Bayezid police station: 01769695668

Khulshi police station: 01769695666

South Division

Kotowali police station: 01769-695665

Baklia police station: 01769695667

Chakbazar police station: 01769695679

Sadarghat police station: 01769-695680

West Division

Double Mooring police station: 017 69695 671

Halishahar police station: 017 6969 5673

Pahartali police station: 017 6969 5672

Akbarshah police station: 017 6969 5678

Bandar Division

Bandar police station: 01769058149 and 01769695674

EPZ police station: 01769691106 and 01769695677

Patenga police station: 01769058150 and 01769695675

Karnaphuli police station: 01769058151 and 01769695676