02-11-2020 | 10:50 AM
Bangladesh launched “No Mask No Service Policy”
Context
Recently the Government of Bangladesh has launched "No Mask No Service Policy". Under the new policy, the government has decided that no service will be provided to people who don’t wear masks.
Highlights
The Government of Bangladesh has announced that no service will be offered to people who do not wear masks.
The Cabinet meeting chaired by PM Sheik Hasina decided that no one would be allowed to enter offices without a mask and to install notice boards stating 'no mask, no service' in order to control the spread of the COVID 19 virus in the nation.
Citizens in all public and private offices, social institutions, Haat-bazaars, shopping malls, educational institutions, mosques or other places of worship across the country must wear masks in view of the coronavirus pandemic.
Involving community leaders in the wear-mask drive and the government also talked to the Islamic scholars and religious leaders to publicise “no mask no service” at all mosques through the Imam.
The first COVID-19 case in Bangladesh was reported on March 8, 2020 by the epidemiology institute, IEDCR of Bangladesh. Since then the number of affected people has been consistently increasing.
It is currently the second most affected country in South Asia, after India.
Government's response to the pandemic:
After the first death in March, the government of Bangladesh declared Lockdown in March itself.
The Government also imposed social distancing norms long with various travelling restrictions to avoid the spread of disease.
With the strict enforcement of these norms reduction in covid-19 cases has been observed since June 2020.
COVID-19 Vaccine
In June, China invited Bangladesh to get priority access to the COVID-19 vaccine after it has been produced. In addition, Bangladesh has also begun developing a coronavirus vaccine.
Sinovac Biotech vaccine was approved by the Bangladesh Medical Research Council for the commencement of a third phase trial in July 2020.
Russia has agreed to sell Sputnik V vaccine to Bangladesh and the vaccine is still under trials.
India agreed to give COVID-19 vaccines to Bangladesh on priority basis.
The UK Government is to provide equal access of COVID-19 vaccines to all the countries. The Oxford Vaccine is to be provided to Bangladesh once it is ready for use.
In April 2020, India provided HCQ tablets and protective gear. Bangladesh was one of the countries to receive assistance from India as soon as the pandemic started to spread.
In April 2020, India sent 500,000 surgical gloves and 1 lakh HCQ.
Again, India provided over 30,000 RT-PCR test kits in May, 2020.
