IEDCR claims zoning maps almost ready but no response from health directorate

The zoning maps – required for locking down the Covid-19 red zones in the capital – are almost ready, and now it is the health directorate's job to hand over the maps to the two city corporations, according to the Institute of Epidemiology Disease Control and Research (IEDCR).

The IEDCR and the health directorate are jointly working on preparing the maps to implement lockdowns properly.

When contacted, Meerjady Sebrina Flora, director of the IEDCR, told The Business Standard, "From our side, the area-based mapping is almost ready. Now it depends on the health directorate when they provide the maps to the city corporations."

But this correspondent could not contact the director general (health) despite repeated attempts on the phone. Even, no other officials from the health directorate are ready to comment on it.

Some 21 days have gone past since the government decided to lock down 45 red zones in the city, flagged as risky areas based on Covid-19 infections and mortalities, but the detailed maps are yet to reach the city corporations.

The lockdown scenario in the red zones outside Dhaka is the same with only a few areas having gone under lockdowns so far.

People concerned in different districts are either saying they need more time to prepare for enforcing lockdowns in the red zones or they are still waiting for a government order.

But in the meantime, the death toll keeps climbing up, so are the infections.

Only one area under experimental lockdown in Chattogram

Although Chattogram is another hotspot for the coronavirus, the Chattogram City Corporation has enforced an experimental lockdown in Kattali area only out of 11 identified red zones since last Tuesday.

Locals are complaining that the lockdown is not being maintained properly. "Though markets and shops are closed, people are still moving about freely," said Pijush Das, a resident of East Kattali.

He claimed that in some alleys, police did not set up checkposts and people are going outside using those alleys.

However, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Chattogram City Corporation Md Shamsuddoha claimed that local people are getting familiar with the lockdown situation.

"We are taking preparations to put the rest of the red zone areas under lockdown," he added.

Barishal wants to go step by step

Twenty-seven wards out of 30 have been identified as red zones in the Barishal city. Barishal City Corporation has announced to enforce lockdown two wards in the first phase and planned to lock down the remaining 25 red zones in the future step by step.

Mymensingh city getting crowded day by day

Although the number of Covid-19 patients nearly tripled in Mymensingh zone in the last one month, the city is getting crowded day by day.

On Sunday noon, people were seen roaming on the roads of red zone areas. People are gathering surrounding tee stalls as if there were no pandemic running right now. 

Till now, a total of four areas have been identified as red zones, but the lockdown has not been implemented yet.

Deputy Commissioner of Mymensingh said, "Detail mapping of those four areas is still under process. Lockdown will be implemented once we get the maps."