The government of Bangladesh has made wearing of masks mandatory for all. In a circular issued by the Health Services Department of the government on Tuesday, it was announced that all employees working in government or private organizations, factories, pedestrians, hotel workers, etc. must wear masks. People going to receive health care to hospitals must also wear the mask. Wearing masks has been made compulsory at religious and educational institutions, shopping malls and shops. It will also apply to people using public transport on the road, water, rail and air.

In order to control the spread of the Coronavirus during the forthcoming Eid-Ul-Azha festival falling on August 1, the government has announced that no special trains will be run during this period. The announcement was made on Tuesday by the Railway Minister Mohammad Nurul Islam Sujan in Dhaka.

A very large number of people travel back to their home towns and villages from Dhaka during the festival of Eid-Ul-Azha.

In meanwhile, 41 people succumbed to Coronavirus infection in Bangladesh on Tuesday taking the death toll to 2709. According to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), 3057 fresh cases of Corona were also reported during the last 24 hours since Monday afternoon. The total number of infected people in Bangladesh has gone up to 2,10,510. The recovery rate in the country is now 54.82 percent.

In a new development, Director-General of the DGHS Dr. Abul Kalam Azad resigned on Tuesday amid criticisms over irregularities and mismanagement in the health sector, reports the UNB.

Bangladesh reported 37 more deaths due to Coronavirus infection and 2459 fresh infections over the last 24 hours since Saturday afternoon.

Briefing media virtually, Addl. Director-General of Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) Dr. Nasima Sultana informed that the death toll in the country has now gone up to 2618.

The total number of infected people in the country as on Sunday stands at 2,04,524 which shows an infection rate of about 20 percent among the people tested for Coronavirus infection.

The recovery rate in the country has slowly gone up to 54.59 percent.

In the meanwhile, the official news agency BSS reported that Bangladesh Medical Research Council (BMRC) on Sunday granted ‘ethical approval’ for the final phase-3 human trial of a COVID-19 vaccine being developed by a Chinese private sector company Sinovac Biotech Ltd.

Director of the BMRC Dr. Mahmood Uz-Jahan told BSS that clinical trials will be conducted on healthcare professionals at seven designated hospitals in Dhaka.

However, he said that the approval will further require endorsement from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).