All intercity, mail and commuter trains will run keeping half of the seats vacant, until further notice, to ensure physical distancing among passengers amid risks of coronavirus transmission.
Bangladesh Railway (BR) revealed the decision Monday night as part of the measures taken to curb risks of Covid-19 infection in wake of a recent spike in the virus caseload and fatalities.
Any passenger with a high body temperature will not be allowed to travel, said Sarker Shahadat Ali, additional director general (operations) of BR, adding that 4-layer safety measures will be implemented in each train stations.
Passengers have been asked to abide by health rules including wearing masks while travelling.
On Monday, an 18-point directive was issued by the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) aiming to curb transmission of the virus. The directive was ordered to be effective immediately for the next two weeks.
The newly given instructions are--
- All types of public gatherings (social/political/ religious/other) should be restricted. All public gatherings are prohibited in areas with a high rate of infection. Public gatherings on the occasion of any social event including marriage/birthday should be discouraged.
- Ensure proper hygiene in all religious places of worship including mosques.
- Public gatherings should be restricted in tourism/entertainment centres/ cinema halls/theatres and all kinds of fairs should be discouraged.
- Public transport cannot carry passengers more than 50 per cent of its carrying capacity and must comply with hygiene rules.
- Inter-district communication should be restricted in high-risk areas of infection; should be closed if necessary.
- Passengers arriving from abroad must ensure institutional quarantine (at the hotel with own expense) for up to 14 days.
- It is necessary to make arrangements for selling daily necessities in an open/unoccupied area in compliance with hygiene rules; Pharmacies must ensure proper hygiene.
- Ensure proper hygiene including wearing of masks in healthcare institutions.
- Both buyers and the sellers in shopping malls must ensure proper hygiene.
- All educational institutions (pre-primary, primary, secondary, higher secondary educational institutions, universities) and coaching centres will remain closed.
- Unnecessary wandering and gathering must be stopped. Going out of home after 10pm without any emergency will be controlled.
- If one has to go out they will have to maintain all kinds of hygiene rules including wearing a mask. Legal action will be taken if the mask is not worn or hygiene rules are violated;
- Isolation of a person with Covid-19 symptoms should be ensured. Others who come into close contact with a person infected with Covid-19 must also ensure quarantine.
- All government-private offices except organisations engaged in emergency services, establishments and factories should be managed by 50% manpower. Pregnant / Sick / Officers/Employees aged above 55 should stay at home and take measures to work from home.
- Meetings, seminars, trainings, workshops should be arranged online as much as possible.
- Proper hygiene must be ensured in any type of public examination that has to be attended in person.
- Hotels and restaurants must be barred anyone from entering if capacity reaches more than 50 percent.
- It is mandatory to wear a mask and ensure compliance with other hygiene rules at the workplace.
