You can fight Covid-19, but not Amphan. Go to the nearby cyclone shelter | The Business Standard
Skip to main content
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
The Business Standard

Friday
July 11, 2025

Sign In
Subscribe
  • Latest
  • Economy
    • Banking
    • Stocks
    • Industry
    • Analysis
    • Bazaar
    • RMG
    • Corporates
    • Aviation
  • Videos
    • TBS Today
    • TBS Stories
    • TBS World
    • News of the day
    • TBS Programs
    • Podcast
    • Editor's Pick
  • World+Biz
  • Features
    • Panorama
    • The Big Picture
    • Pursuit
    • Habitat
    • Thoughts
    • Splash
    • Mode
    • Tech
    • Explorer
    • Brands
    • In Focus
    • Book Review
    • Earth
    • Food
    • Luxury
    • Wheels
  • Subscribe
    • Epaper
    • GOVT. Ad
  • More
    • Sports
    • TBS Graduates
    • Bangladesh
    • Supplement
    • Infograph
    • Archive
    • Gallery
    • Long Read
    • Interviews
    • Offbeat
    • Magazine
    • Climate Change
    • Health
    • Cartoons
  • বাংলা
FRIDAY, JULY 11, 2025
You can fight Covid-19, but not Amphan. Go to the nearby cyclone shelter

Cyclone Amphan

Md Tajul Islam
19 May, 2020, 05:35 pm
Last modified: 19 May, 2020, 06:38 pm

Related News

  • One dies from COVID-19 in 24 hrs
  • Covid-19: Two more deaths, 7 new cases reported in 24hrs
  • Covid-19: One more death, 10 new cases reported in 24hrs
  • Three die from Covid-19 in 24 hrs
  • Five Covid-19 deaths reported in 24 hours, 36 new cases detected

You can fight Covid-19, but not Amphan. Go to the nearby cyclone shelter

The government has already doubled the numbers of cyclone shelter centres in coastal regions in order to minimize the risk of virus contamination by ensuring distancing during the cyclone

Md Tajul Islam
19 May, 2020, 05:35 pm
Last modified: 19 May, 2020, 06:38 pm
Screengrab from Windy
Screengrab from Windy

Cyclone Amphan is approaching. And it's approaching fast.

This might be the worst time, in recent years, for a cyclone to hit, considering the rapid spread of Covid-19 in the country. And this may also raise a question: Should people go to the cyclone shelters? 

While going to cyclone shelters may increase the risk of more people getting infected with the virus, they still should. Here's why. 

The Business Standard Google News Keep updated, follow The Business Standard's Google news channel

Covid-19 may infect a lot of people. But it kills only a few. At the end of the day, this is a disease. Maintaining social distancing and proper hygiene is the best way to prevent it. 

As of Tuesday, 25,121 people have tested positive with the virus in Bangladesh. Among which, 370 died and 4,993 recovered. 

Winning the battle against Covid-19 is very much possible. 

On the other hand, a severe super cyclone like Amphan won't even give that chance. It will destroy everything that comes into its path and continue approaching until it runs out of fuel. 

The Bhola Cyclone, categorised as a "Very Severe Cyclonic Storm" killed approximately 5lakh people of the country in 1970. 

Meanwhile, SIDR, a cyclone of the same category that hit the coastal belt in 2007, killed around 3,500 people in Bangladesh. 

Both SIDR and Bhola cyclone was similar in type. But the death tolls are different because of the geography of the area they hit in the coast and the number of people going into safety before the cyclone. 

Just after two years of SIDR, another cyclone Aila killed 190 in the country in 2009. It was categorised as a "Severe Cyclonic Storm". 

Mahasen, categorised as "Cyclonic Storm", killed 18 in 2013.

SIDR was more powerful than Aila and Mahasen. But the main reason behind lesser death was more people going to the cyclone shelters because of the lessons they have learned during SIDR.   

During an interview in late 2018, a SIDR survivor told me that she didn't realise how severe the situation was. She somehow felt like her shanty will be enough to protect her during the cyclone. 

But the cyclone just uprooted the foundation of the shanty and she was found by her son around a kilometre away from her house the next morning. 

During Aila, she was among the first few people to go to the nearby cyclone shelter. 

That being said, there's every possibility that Amphan may end up being as powerful as SIDR. It might well be as bad as SIDR for us if people don't go to the cyclone shelters with the fear of catching Covid-19. 

Fighting with a cyclone can never be compared with the fight against a virus. There's an option of recovery in a virus infection. The immunity of the person plays a significant role here as well. 

But none of this matters in front of a cyclone. It doesn't matter if the person is a good swimmer or if he or she can hold the breath for a long time. There's no fight against a cyclone. 

The government has already doubled the numbers of cyclone shelter centres in coastal regions in order to minimize the risk of virus contamination by ensuring distancing during the cyclone. 

Keeping this in mind, everyone in coastal areas should take shelter in a cyclone centre nearby while maintaining the distancing rules as much as possible. 

Meanwhile, the government has to ensure enough testing facilities at coastal areas immediately after the cyclone. So that any new cases get reported immediately and proper measures can be taken.

Bangladesh / Environment / Top News

Cyclone Amphan / Cyclone centres / COVID-19 / Coronavirus

Comments

While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.

Top Stories

  • How tender rules and a lone bidder stall a $2.5b power plant
    How tender rules and a lone bidder stall a $2.5b power plant
  • Bangladesh and US hold tariff talks for second day on 9July 2025. Photo: CA Press Wing
    35% tariff: Bangladesh, US 'reach general consensus on some issues' on second day of talks; final round today
  • BNP senior leader Salahuddin Ahmed. Photo: Collected
    No scope for electoral alliance with Jamaat, door not closed for NCP: BNP's Salahuddin

MOST VIEWED

  • Photo: Mohammad Minhaj Uddin/TBS
    SSC, equivalent results: Pass rate drops to 68.45%, GPA-5 also declines
  • In terms of stream of education, girls maintained their excellence as well. Photo: TBS
    SSC 2025: Girls dominate boys by over 5%
  • Govt vehicle purchase, foreign trip, new building construction banned: Finance ministry
    Govt vehicle purchase, foreign trip, new building construction banned: Finance ministry
  • Students sit for SSC exam at Motijheel Girls' High School on 10 April 2025. Photo: Mehedi Hasan/TBS
    SSC exam results out: Here's how you can check online and via SMS
  • The overall pass rate across all boards this year, 68.45%, is significantly lower than last year's. Photo: Focus Bangla
    SSC 2025: Rajshahi board records highest pass rate, Barishal lowest
  • Representational image. Photo: Collected
    35% tariff: Bangladesh, US 'agree on most issues' as first day of talks ends

Related News

  • One dies from COVID-19 in 24 hrs
  • Covid-19: Two more deaths, 7 new cases reported in 24hrs
  • Covid-19: One more death, 10 new cases reported in 24hrs
  • Three die from Covid-19 in 24 hrs
  • Five Covid-19 deaths reported in 24 hours, 36 new cases detected

Features

Photo: Collected/BBC

What Hitler’s tariff policy misfire can teach the modern world

17h | The Big Picture
Illustration: TBS

Behind closed doors: Why women in Bangladesh stay in abusive marriages

20h | Panorama
Purbachl’s 144-acre Sal forest is an essential part of the area’s biodiversity. Within it, 128 species of plants and 74 species of animals — many of them endangered — have been identified. Photo: Syed Zakir Hossain/TBS

A forest saved: Inside the restoration of Purbachal's last Sal grove

20h | Panorama
Photo: Rajib Dhar/TBS

11 July 2024: Riot vehicles, water cannons hit the streets as police crack down on protesters

13h | Panorama

More Videos from TBS

India is strengthening ties with Israel

India is strengthening ties with Israel

9m | TBS World
'Hypocrisy' will not continue, Iran tells IAEA

'Hypocrisy' will not continue, Iran tells IAEA

16h | TBS World
OpenAI to release web browser in challenge to Google Chrome

OpenAI to release web browser in challenge to Google Chrome

16h | TBS World
Will the title 'Honorable and Excellency' be abolished?

Will the title 'Honorable and Excellency' be abolished?

17h | TBS Today
EMAIL US
contact@tbsnews.net
FOLLOW US
WHATSAPP
+880 1847416158
The Business Standard
  • About Us
  • Contact us
  • Sitemap
  • Advertisement
  • Privacy Policy
  • Comment Policy
Copyright © 2025
The Business Standard All rights reserved
Technical Partner: RSI Lab

Contact Us

The Business Standard

Main Office -4/A, Eskaton Garden, Dhaka- 1000

Phone: +8801847 416158 - 59

Send Opinion articles to - oped.tbs@gmail.com

For advertisement- sales@tbsnews.net