In view of a steady increase in the COVID 19 cases reported from the country over the last week, the government of Bangladesh has decided to take stricter measures to ensure that people wear mask in public places.
Briefing media on Monday after the regular cabinet meeting Cabinet Secretary Khandaker Anwarul Islam said that Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has asked all concerned to be strict in enforcing the compulsory use of mask as ordered by the government, reports the official news agency BSS.
Asking the officials to adopt the twin strategy of motivating people to wear mask and enforcing it through stricter measures, the Cabinet Secretary said that the fines may be increased from the current level of Taka 500/1000 to Taka 5000 against the violators.
He further said that the ministries of religious affairs and education have been asked to launch massive campaigns to promote use of masks on a large scale. He informed that the mobile courts operated at 37 locations in Dhaka on Sunday and imposed fines on people who violated government orders on wearing masks in public places.
In the meanwhile, with 38 deaths reported on Monday, the death toll due to Coronavirus in Bangladesh went up to 6416. The total number of infections in the country is also now close to 4.5 lakh with 2060 new cases reported in the last 24 hours on Monday by the Directorate General of Health Services .
