The first day of the lockdown in the capital’s East Rajabazar was enforced strictly yesterday, with no one except those on emergency duty, including doctors, nurses and journalists, allowed to go outside.

With the novel coronavirus infections spreading across the country, critical patients outside the capital and divisional headquarters are increasingly becoming vulnerable due to ill-equipped district hospitals.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said her government would continue to take measures to ease people’s sufferings and protect their livelihoods amid coronavirus pandemic.

The Covid-19 death toll reached 1,012 with half of the deaths reported in the last 16 days.

It seems the universe keeps conspiring against Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal. When it is his moment to shine, some misfortune strikes. Last year, it was dengue, and this year, it is the raging coronavirus that has left him at the centre of what could possibly be Bangladesh’s most acute economic -- and human -- crisis yet.

The country’s first metro rail project, Mass Rapid Transit-6, may miss its completion deadline in December next year if the construction suffers any further delays.

Ninety-five percent of the people surveyed across the country suffered a loss of income due to shutdown and social distancing measures enforced by the government in late March to contain the spread of the Covid-19, says a Brac survey.

Thousands of critical cancer, heart, kidney and liver patients have their treatments on hold as medical tests they require have been off for lack of radioactive isotope for the last two months.

Bangladesh’s economic growth would weaken further to 1.6 percent in the current fiscal year, the World Bank said yesterday as it revised its prospects revealing a far deeper impact of the coronavirus pandemic than it had initially thought.

The Covid-19 infection in the country has increased fourfold in the last one month with 3,171 infections recorded yesterday -- by far the highest total for one day.

The capital’s East Rajabazar was put under lockdown yesterday midnight on an experimental basis as part of government efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus.

One can only hope, is what one would remark once learning of Finance Minister AHM Mustafa Kamal’s revenue target for the upcoming fiscal year, due to begin from July 1.

Bangladesh has written to Kuwait seeking to know why lawmaker Mohammad Shahid Islam, also known as Kazi Papul, has been arrested.

Police arrested nine people, including a ruling Awami League leader and a journalist, on Sunday night on charge of attacking the house of Faridpur AL president.

The health ministry will not see a significant rise in allocation in the upcoming budget amid Covid-19 pandemic mainly due to its lack of capacity to utilise funds, say planning ministry officials.

The Directorate General of Drug Administration (DGDA) has filed a case against the owner of Elan Corporation for importing “substandard” KN-95 masks by showing “fake documents”.

Ten countries of South Asia, Middle East and Latin America have seen a sharp rise in Covid-19 cases over the last couple of weeks, according to World Health Organization data.

A glimmer of hope just appeared for the bruised and battered economy: exports seem to be looking up.

Faruk Mia came to Dhaka on Saturday, all the way from Narsingdi, to buy an oxygen cylinder for his 65-year-old ailing father as it could not be managed in his district.

A Bangladeshi lawmaker has been arrested in Kuwait over alleged involvement in human trafficking and money laundering.