Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday ordered total lockdown of Dhaka and Narayanganj cities, and Madaripur and Gaibandha districts to fight the spread of coronavirus.

Division among influential owners over the closure of garment factories and an absence of specific instructions from the government had sent thousands of workers into a dangerous scramble to get back to Dhaka.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday announced four new stimulus packages of Tk 67,750 crore to overcome the possible economic shock from the ongoing shutdown enforced to prevent the coronavirus spread.

President Donald Trump warned Americans to brace for a “very horrendous” number of coronavirus deaths in the coming days as the number of people infected in the US has exceeded 3,00,000 with the death toll climbing past 8,400.

At least three people died with Covid-19-like symptoms yesterday in three districts -- Madaripur, Netrakona and Cumilla.

If you knew that the beginning of next month, you would have no money, none at all, how badly would you try to save your job?

People are not being allowed to enter or leave Dhaka except for emergency, police said yesterday as countrywide shutdown imposed to slow down coronavirus transmission was extended until April 14.

The authorities have said that community transmission of coronavirus is indeed happening, but it is limited to five clusters across the country.

India yesterday reported its biggest jump in number of new coronavirus cases as top doctors warned of an “onslaught” that could cripple the health system to levels far beyond what Europe and the United States are experiencing.

The BNP yesterday demanded that a special fund of Tk 87,000 crore should be allocated to tackle the impacts of coronavirus on the country’s economy.

“No one can imagine how difficult just trying to breathe can be ... This experience can’t be explained … It felt like I returned from the jaws of death.”

Never in recent history has Dhaka city been this hungry. Even when disaster struck elsewhere in the country -- when crops failed, homes washed away by rivers, villages flooded -- the city always had space to take in more.

Health and Family Welfare Minister Zahid Maleque yesterday said the government will be forced to revoke the licence of private healthcare service providers who refuse to treat patients during the coronavirus crisis.

While organisations and individuals keep coming up with support for the poor amid the countrywide shutdown, many lawmakers are yet to be seen on the ground.

Many were walking for miles, many travelled in crammed pickup vans and trucks meant for carrying goods. There was no scope for maintaining social distancing, which is crucial to contain the spread of coronavirus.

With multiple coronavirus testing facilities now detecting more cases, experts feel even more people from every region need to be tested immediately.

As confirmed cases of the novel coronavirus in the country are on the rise, the government is expanding the intensive care unit (ICU) facilities outside the capital to treat the critical patients.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged the people to visit physicians if they show any symptom of coronavirus and not to pay heed to any rumour about the virus.

The coronavirus pandemic is set to deal a heavy blow to the country’s overseas job market and the remittance flow as a large number of Bangladeshi migrants have already lost their jobs or were receiving low wages amid shutdowns enforced to stem the spread of the virus, say economists and researchers.

Five more people tested positive for coronavirus, bringing the country’s total to 61, Health Minister Zahid Maleque said yesterday.