While there were hiccups along the way, such as the decision to open up shops and allowing intercity travel for Eid, overall, the lockdown went a long way towards large gatherings of people, thereby reducing the spread of the virus. But, even with these restrictions in place, last week has seen Bangladesh break its previous records, with its highest weekly infection rate so far, with an average of 1,538 cases per day. While it is understandable that the economy needs to open up with millions of people across the country struggling to provide for their families, the solution cannot lie in the decision to put their lives at risk. If we are to open up the country in any way, it must be done so with the utmost cautiousness, with adequate restrictions in place, restrictions which people have flouted in the past. We cannot afford to let down our guard now -- doing so would be nothing short of disastrous for the country.

Source: Dhaka Tribune May 29, 2020 18:33 UTC