Offices to remain open, transport operational till Aug 3

The government and private offices will remain open, and public transport services operational on limited scale until August 3 following the health guidelines imposed to curb coronavirus' spread.

State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain told this Jago News on Tuesday night. 

During this, markets and shopping malls will stay open till 7pm, he said. 

Earlier on March 23, the government announced general holidays for 10 days from March 26, and later the holidays were extended till May 30 in phases to limit the outbreak.

During the period, public transport services were also shut. 

But instead of extending the general holidays anymore, it allowed government and private offices to open and public transport services (bus, train and launches) to operate from May 31 to June 15 aims to allow economic activity.

After the period ended, the government again announced that government and private offices to remain open and public transport services operational for 15 more days.

Bangladesh first confirmed its coronavirus cases on March 8 and since then it has been seeing sharp rise in both infections and fatalities.

Till date, the country recorded 1,45,483 confirmed COVID-19 cases and 1,847 deaths from the disease.