Police tough on shutdown violators in Dhaka

NEWS DESK 

Police in Dhaka have taken strict move against the people, who came out to the streets, breaking the quarantine and social distancing rules amid the government announced shutdown to contain the spread of the coronavirus.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) has set up check-posts in 64 spots in the capital, while the members of Bangladesh Army are also patrolling in five spots. 

Police are checking whether the vehicles came out due to any emergency or not. Without an emergency, no vehicle will be allowed to ply in the city.

"We already found some vehicles those had no valid reason to come out," said Jahidul Islam, DMP assistant commissioner (Motijheel zone).

Besides, Bangladesh Army will strictly ensure social distancing and home quarantine from today amid the coronavirus situation in the country, a press release issued by the Inter Services Public Relations Directorate (ISPR) on Wednesday night said. 

If anyone is found violating the home quarantine and social distancing instructions from the government, strict measures will be taken against them, the press release reads. 

In a visit to several intersections in Dhaka, it was seen the police personnel are checking vehicles and stopping pedestrians to know if they had come out for any emergency or not.

Earlier on March 25, the Bangladesh Army started working with the local administration in all districts of the country to ensure quarantine and social distancing.

Two new coronavirus patients were found in Bangladesh in last 24 hours after testing 141 samples. With this, the number of confirmed cases in the country now stands at 56.

Earlier, IEDCR confirmed the first death from coronavirus infection on March 18, second on March 21, third on March 23, fourth on March 24, fifth on March 25 and sixth death on April 1. 

Globally, 937,567 people have so far got infected with the highly contagious coronavirus and 47,256 have died from it, according to Johns Hopkins University data.