Coronavirus rumour: Star news from 2018 circulated on social media

A screenshot of a report published on The Daily Star in 2018 is being circulated on social media at the moment, claiming that the government has instructed schools and colleges to stay closed. 

The story, titled "Schools, colleges shut tomorrow: Ministry" was published on August 1, 2018 as part of our reporting on the road safety movement at the time. 

This comes in light of the recent confirmation of three coronavirus cases in Bangladesh.

While state officials have instructed schools to be shut in Delhi and across Japan alongside others to contain the spread of the virus, no such instruction has been passed down from the Government of Bangladesh as of yet. 

Mohammad Abul Khair, Public Relations Officer of the Education Ministry, confirmed last evening that the ministry has not taken any decision to close educational institutions. 

"A quarter with vested interest are circulating rumours of closing educational institutions," he said. 

"People are being urged not to believe these rumours," he added in a statement.