14-day mandatory quarantine for UK returnees: Cabinet

The Cabinet today decided to enforce 14-day mandatory quarantine for the UK returnees in the wake of transmission of a new variant of Covid-19 in the United Kingdom, reports BSS.

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chaired the regular cabinet meeting joining virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban while her cabinet colleagues attended the meeting at the Bangladesh Secretariat.

“Every passenger, arriving from the UK through flights, will have to stay in quarantine. Even if he or she has tested Covid-19 negative yesterday, the person will have to stay in 14-day quarantine compulsorily,” Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam said while briefing the newsmen emerging from the meeting.

He said there were two options – suspension of flight operation with London or enforcing strong quarantine for London returnees. Finally, the Cabinet decided for enforcement of strong quarantine for them, he added.

The Cabinet Secretary said the UK returnees must stay either in government quarantines or in any hotel under the supervision of the government.

He, however, said a technical committee meeting is scheduled to be held this night (Monday), which would take decisions regarding when the enforcement of the strong quarantine would start; as sudden enforcement will create problems for many people.

A notification will be issued to this end, after giving a logical time of 2 to 3 days, said Khandker Anwarul.

Sunbd/NJ