Health experts have expressed concern over record deaths with Covid-like symptoms in Bangladesh in the past four weeks until August 03, taking the total death toll to 4,435.
Against this backdrop, they have suggested that the government implement its mass vaccination drive successfully across the country, fixing mismanagement at vaccine centres and ensuring smooth supply of shots.
Of the fatalities, 3,922 males and 513 females have expired in the past 16 months and 11 days.
The number of such deaths reached 1,496 from July 07 to August 03 while that was 537 from June 23 to July 06, disclosed a Bangladesh Peace Observatory (BPO) report.
The report was prepared under the Centre for Genocide Studies at Dhaka University.
It was based on information from 25 media outlets, including national and local dailies, TV channels and news portals. However, this information was not verified at field level.
Talking to the FE, Prof Muzaherul Huq, former adviser of WHO, Southeast Asia region, said the government has failed to implement lockdown restrictions to curb infections.
The number of Covid-19-like deaths might see a record rise, he apprehended.
To this effect, he suggested the government ensure monitoring and address mismanagement at vaccine centres for smooth inoculation of the masses.
Prof Huq also urged the government to ensure 70-80 per cent vaccination of the population, prioritising health workers, the elderly and the physically challenged.
Law-enforcement agencies also arrested and fined a record number of people during the past 28 days for violating lockdown restrictions and health guideline.
A total of 3,374 people were arrested and over 15,144 fined from July 07 to August 03.
As many as 3,052 were arrested for breaking lockdown restrictions and ignoring health rules while more than 9,000 were fined from June 23 to July 06.
All the arrests were made after July 01.
During the period from 22 March 2020 to 03 August 2021, Dhaka division saw 593 deaths with Covid symptoms while it was 772 in Chattogram division.
Rangpur division had the lowest such deaths at 100, according to the BPO report.
Sylhet, Rajshahi, Mymensingh, Khulna and Barishal divisions reported 103, 1,058, 338, 970 and 501 deaths respectively.
The top 10 districts in terms of deaths from Covid-like symptoms are Rajshahi, Cumilla, Satkhira, Chandpur, Khulna, Chattogram, Mymensingh, Bogura and Faridpur.
The highest 510 people died of Covid-like symptoms in Rajshahi district while Chattogram saw the lowest 116 deaths, revealed the report.
Satkhira district reported the second-highest 345 deaths while Barishal the third-highest 332.
Virologist Dr Nazrul Islam, a member of the National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19, said the government should take some time to observe the situation whether it deteriorates further during relaxed lockdown restrictions.
"We should keep in mind that people's mindset about coronavirus have changed largely from what we saw last year after its outbreak," he told the FE.
