Bangladesh raises locks to celebrate, annoying experts



As they waited among hundreds of other passengers to board a boat out of the Bangladeshi capital, unemployed construction worker Mohammed Nijam knew he was in danger of catching a coronavirus, but he felt it was too dangerous to stay in Dhaka with anything left over.


"I have to pay rent every month even though I don't have a job," he said, adding that his landlord had been harassing him for money even though he was struggling to make ends meet. "I had better go home and live as God allows me to."


Nijam is among tens of millions of Bangladeshis who are buying and traveling this week during an eight-day debate over the country's tight end as the government approves of the Islamic festival Eid al-Adha. The suspension is expected by health experts who warn that it could exacerbate the ongoing increase in high-risk diversity, which was first discovered in neighboring India.


"There is already a shortage of beds, ICUs, while our healthcare providers have run out of power," said Be-Nazir Ahmed, a public health specialist and former head of the government's Department of Health. "So if the situation gets worse and more patients come to the hospitals, it will be very difficult to deal with this problem."


With the spread of the virus, everything in Bangladesh was ordered to be shut down on July 1, from markets to mass transportation. Soldiers and border guards roamed the streets and thousands were arrested and sent to prison for violating the ban.


However, despite the new limitations, viral infections are still expected at about 200 per day and the daily infection rate was around 11,000, both of which are thought to be lower. On Sunday, 225 people were reported dead and 11,758 were infected.


Despite warnings from experts - and just over 4 million of the country's 160 million people who are completely vaccinated - the government has announced that from July 15-23, all restrictions will be lifted and everything will be opened for people to celebrate, which is often an economic blessing.


"However, in all cases, people must be vigilant, wear masks and strictly follow health instructions," the government's policy statement said.


Government officials have not yet commented on the move. An official with the Department of Public Administration, who issued the suspension order, referred the Associated Press to a policy statement when asked to comment. Calls and emails from a Department of Health spokesman were not returned.