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4 years ago

Zone-wise lockdown likely from next week

Pedestrians walk along an unusually almost empty street in Hatirjheel area in Dhaka during a lockdown imposed due to the coronavirus — Collected
Pedestrians walk along an unusually almost empty street in Hatirjheel area in Dhaka during a lockdown imposed due to the coronavirus — Collected

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Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) expects enforcement of zone-wise lockdown from next week as per the proposal of the public health expert committee to the cabinet division after finalising the zones by DG health and a2i.

But the criteria of red, yellow and green zones are yet to be finalised.

A meeting on finalisation of zoning, lockdown and responsibility of various ministries, city corporations and departments will be held today (Friday).

DNCC Mayor Atiqul Islam confirmed this to the FE.

"The government may declare red zone if the number of coronavirus cases in any area ranges between 20 and 40. The yellow zone will be declared if the number of cases ranges between one and 19. But nothing has yet been finalised," said Mayor Atiq.

He said the city corporation will not lock down the whole city rather some buildings or a particular area, giving priority to the economic activities so that the GDP growth, people's life and livelihood are not hampered.

"We will boost GDP and impose confinement at the same time. If any area is locked down, we will provide relief for the poor people and arrange necessary items through e-commerce-based kitchen market services for the well-off," he said.

It was learnt that the city corporation will pilot zone-wise lockdown in a ward selected by the Prime Minister's Office after finalising the parameters.

Tolarbagh will be used as a model for enforcing the lockdown.

The zoning system is being implemented by DG health and a2i headed by the deputy commissioner.

City corporation sources said a2i and DG health have been working to develop a software by giving input of data on Covid-19 patients.

They are also using the data and analyses of Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research in their platform to develop software. But the problem is many patients do not provide full address.

It has been decided primarily that the zones will be declared based on the number of corona cases in each 0.1 million population in last 14 days from the day of lockdown.

If the number of cases is 40 and above it will be declared a red zone. The yellow zone will have 15 to 39 cases, the source said.

Primarily, the zone-wise lockdown will be enforced for 14 days that may bring down the number of cases as it happened in the case of Tolarbagh.

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