Prime Minister to address nation at 7:30pm

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina will address the nation this evening (Wednesday evening) to inform the country’s people about the government's measures taken to prevent the spread of coronavirus in the country.

"The Prime Minister will address the nation at 7:30pm on the occasion of the Independence and National Day 202," PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim said.

State-owned Bangladesh Betar and Bangladesh Television will simultaneously broadcast the Prime Minister’s address, he said.

Private television channels and radio stations will also air the Prime Minister’s speech.

Bangladesh so far reported five deaths from the coronavirus. Currently, 27 patients are under treatment while seven others have already made recovery.

The government on Monday in a major development declared a 10-day national holiday for all public and private offices, except emergency services, from March 26 to April 4, to check the outbreak of coronavirus.    

The government in yet another important move also ordered the deployment of armed forces at the field level from today (Tuesday) to aid the civil administration to maintain social distancing as well as strengthen coronavirus preventive measures.

Bangladesh has so far reported four deaths while at least 39 patients have been detected with the bug.

The World Health Organization has already declared the coronavirus crisis a pandemic.

The COVID-19, which was first reported in China’s Wuhan, has been spread to 189 countries across the globe.

The death toll from the coronavirus has climbed to 17247 worldwide while 396035 have been infected with the deadly virus.

The World Health Organisation has also suggested Bangladesh for going into lockdown and declare emergency due to the virus outbreak.

The government has taken a slew of measures, including shutting down educational institutions and cancelling Mujib Barsho and Independence Day programmes, to prevent the spread of the virus.

Source: Daily Sun