The healthcare professionals have warned of severe consequences if the authorities opt for any relaxation of the ongoing lockdown following a decline in infection and fatality rates during the past few days.
To avert a health-related disaster the neighbourng India has been facing in recent weeks, they suggested the government impose an effective hard lockdown for some more days, without thinking about people's livelihood.
They raised the concern following the announcement of the transport operators and workers for holding countrywide demonstrations tomorrow (Sunday), demanding immediate resumption of public transports.
They said if the government allows resumption of public transports, like reopening of the markets and shopping malls, the country will witness a huge rush of home-goers during the Eid-ul-Fitr festival. It will ultimately help spread the deadly virus to various corners of the country.
Health rights activist Dr Rashid-e-Mahbob said people's flow to the markets and shopping malls has gone up manifold soon after the government lifted restrictions on the opening of shops and markets.
"Most people in the shopping areas are not following health protocols, which is the most dangerous part. We cannot expect results from the lockdown when nothing is locked."
"I am really scared of the situation. Look at India; we need to be cautious in making a balance between lives and livelihoods."
Mr Mahbub noted that the transport operators' announcement to launch nationwide demonstrations for immediate resumption of public transports will make the situation far more critical.
The announcement of protest came at a time when the infection rate of the deadly virus has been declining slowly.
Expressing concern over mounting pressure from the transport leaders on the policymakers to relax the lockdown rules, secretary general of Bangladesh Medical Association (BMA) Dr Md Ehteshamul Huq Choudhury said the daily infection rate declined to 10 per cent from over 23 per cent because of the ongoing lockdown.
If the government allows public transports, after allowing shopping malls and markets, ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr, it will be very tough for them to keep people at their homes.
"It will not be a good thing for the country. It might push up the positivity rate again. I know pains of the transport operators and workers, but this is not the right time to make a compromise," he added.
The health sector scholars urged the government to expand social protection activities covering the worst-hit communities, like people in the transport sector, to encourage citizens stay indoors on their own.
Meanwhile, the numbers of infection and fatality were showed a downward trend, providing some respite to the country's policymakers and healthcare professionals.
According to a bulletin of the state-run Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS), some 2,177 people were infected afresh following screening of 21,046 samples in the last 24 hours that ended on Friday morning.
Although the daily positivity rate dropped to 10.34 per cent, some 57 more people succumbed to the respiratory disease caused by the virus.
"With the latest statistics, the total number of infection and fatality rose to 7,59,132 and 11,450 respectively," the bulletin stated.
In terms of recovery, 4,325 more patients got cured from the disease. The number took the total recovery tally to 6,81,426, and the entire recovery rate to 89.76 per cent.
