Today we are passing 39th day of general holiday for COVID-19. The whole country along with almost the whole world is standing still due to this deadly pandemic. Around 3.5 million people were infected and around 0.25 million people died from coronavirus while 10,143 were infected and 183 died from this pandemic in Bangladesh. The majority of the infected and deaths in Bangladesh are from the capital city Dhaka and the rest are also somewhat connected to the capital. During the last few days, numbers of newly infected are increasing in an alarming rate. It seems like Dhaka is the center of the COVID-19 spread in the country. Along with this coronavirus, we will have other issues in the upcoming weeks. Hence, it pushes us to think about a different but comprehensive strategy to contain the sufferings of the people of Bangladesh.

From the very beginning, most of the coronavirus infected hailed from country’s capital city Dhaka other than those who came from abroad and were thought to be the source of COVID-19 in Bangladesh. After the initial infection, when people from the capital spread to the different areas of the country, the virus reached to the far corners of the nation.
Dhaka is the connecting hub for all the districts as people move through this megacity for travelling from one part of the country to another. Alarmingly, around 50 per cent of the total coronavirus patients were found in this city and if we calculate the originating source, this city will bear no less than 85 per cent. So, it is very important to contain the spread of this deadly virus at its source.

When the general vacation was declared, people, especially the lower and lower-middle income group opt out to move to their village homes. Millions of people left the capital city to be with their family. But unfortunately, few of them carried the virus along with them, which later became the source of coronavirus in other districts. As we moved at different corners of the country, at most of the places, whenever a COVID-19 infected person was identified, it was heard that, he or she came from the Dhaka city few days back.

Though the government declared the general holiday for people to stay at home, despite good efforts, the government could not control the outflow of people from the capital to other parts of the country. Later, when RMG factories along with some other factories were opened for urgent productions without any coordination with the government, there was a huge inflow of people to Dhaka. The movement of these workers could not be controlled either and hence, it was very difficult to contain COVID-19.

The government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, tried hard from different ends with the support of the law enforcers including the police and the army to maintain the lockdown but unfortunately, we are always keen to ignore the orders which brought higher sufferings for the whole country. The government even conducted huge relief distribution program, despite some barbaric acts of corruption, throughout the country so that the people need not come out of their homes for work to ensure food at their homes. Several activities to ensure food security of the people under lockdown were visible but nothing actually succeeded cent per cent. This scenario was grave in the capital city as people showed their highest creativity to come out of their residence everyday without even proper safety.

Now with the reopening of operations at most of the RMG factories and that of few government offices along with continuous operations of the media houses, hospitals, law enforcing offices, the scenario might get even worse. We are already finding increasing number of corona patients throughout the country. But it was not supposed to happen if we could place ourselves under complete lockdown for at least 15 days of the general holidays. Today, despite increasing number of infections, we are getting bound to open the factories and offices to keep our economy rolling and this is very unfortunate as only our ignorance and attitude is driving us towards a bigger calamity.

We are approaching Eid-ul-Fitr, the largest festival of the country, within the next three weeks. Many people, who are in Dhaka and who returned to Dhaka for works, will again move to their village home for celebration. There is a huge possibility that many of them will carry the COVID-19 along with them to their homes. We need to be alert to contain that scenario. Though this celebration is emotionally attached to our core and we always want to celebrate this event with our close ones, this year that can be deadly. Hence, the government along with the law enforcers must be utmost alert to control this outflow of people. If we fail to do so, the coronavirus scenario might last much longer in our country.

Right now, we need to impose the lockdown with the highest strictness. We must keep the citizens inside and restrict their movements at least for 15 days. China contained the COVID-19 spread, despite being the source, due to this strict lockdown impose. We must learn from their experience along with that of many European countries. Any ignorance of the lockdown must be seriously punished. For that ensuring food security will be vital and providing ration card for every citizen can be the best solution.

Moreover, the markets at different areas should have a particular operational time for 2-3 days in a week. We need to maintain health services also and for that, we need a special hotline for area wise health support as well as home delivery of medical supplies. The local councilors should get more involved in efforts to contain coronavirus in their areas. Most importantly, these efforts must be strongly conducted in Dhaka city along with other metropolitan cities of the country.