In the wake of the second wave of Covid-19 attack across Europe, the government has decided to take stricter screening measures at the airports and land ports.
The decision was taken in an inter-ministerial meeting to prevent further deterioration of the coronavirus situation in the country.
A five-member committee, headed by Foreign Secretary Masud Bin Momen, was formed to suggest specific measures within three to four days.
“We want to ensure that the Covid situation would not deteriorate further in the country” State Minister M Shahriar Alam told reporters after the two-hour-long meeting.
The second wave has officially been confirmed in some European countries where a good number of Bangladeshi expatriates are living.
Every day around 1,500 passengers are entering from these countries posing a risk of the spread of the virus in Bangladesh, he said.
He informed that whether any ban on incoming flights will be imposed, will depend on the situation and the five-member committee will also submit their recommendations in this regard.
There will be a major increase in the number of inspection staff at the airports and land ports to ensure stricter screening.
Recently the screening was lax due to somewhat improvement of the Covid situation in the country but since the second wave is confirmed, the decision has been taken to raise the number of inspection staff at the ports for strict screening of the passengers.
The quarantine facility will also be strengthened further and if any inbound passenger has symptoms s/he must be quarantined until the person tests negative, the meeting decided.
Responding to a question the state minister said that the government has no plan to conduct rapid-test at airports right now because such tests are not reliable.
Foreign Minister Dr AK Abdul Momen and Expatriate Welfare Minister Imran Chowdhury jointly presided over the meeting where principal secretary to the Prime Minister’s Office, health secretary, home secretary and heads or representatives of 12 agencies were present.
