Bangladesh lifts entry restriction to EU diplomats: FM

Foreign minister AK Abdul Momen on Monday said the restriction on entry into Bangladesh from European countries will not be applicable to those possessing diplomatic passports.

The minister disclosed this at a briefing to the Dhaka-based foreign diplomats at the State Guest House Padma in the evening.

“I would like to assure you that this measure is not applicable to persons with diplomatic passports or laissez passers posted in Bangladesh. Also, persons leaving Bangladesh for Europe can freely do so,” Momen said.

He also assured that all restrictions imposed by Bangladesh government were purely on temporary basis.

He added: “We have decided not to allow persons coming from Europe to enter Bangladesh for the time being, as WHO has flagged that Europe is now the “Epicentre” of the pandemic situation. We have put this measure in place purely on a temporary basis, till 31st March 2020, and we will revisit the situation as it demands.”

Addressing to the foreign nationals now staying in Bangladesh he said those foreigners can extend their stay for additional three months. “If they want to extend their stay here, their visas will be extended by three more months, if required.”

 Referring to Sunday’s video conference of the leaders of South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC), the minister said that “Bangladesh believes in working together with all countries – regionally and globally.”

“Since infectious disease and pandemic does not respect any border, we are also engaged regionally under the SAARC Mechanism to prevent the spread of the COVID-9 menace and to address the situation and issues arising out of it.”

Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina also proposed for close collaboration among SAARC countries under the coordination of SAARC Secretariat to fight against coronavirus, officially known as COVID-19, Momen added.

The minister informed the diplomats about Bangladesh preparation to combat the outbreak of novel coronavirus.

He said: “We have kept four newly built hospitals, including the Kuwait-Moitree Hospital, in Dhaka dedicated to exclusively deal with COVID-19 patients. In addition, there is one more hospital in Rajshahi, to exclusively handle COVID-19 patients. We have also earmarked separate beds in every Government hospital in all districts to treat COVID-19 patients.”

He informed that government had also asked the private hospitals to develop facilities for quarantining coronavirus-infected patients if needed.

“A few vacant buildings have been identified where make-shift hospitals can be established in case there is any such need. We have stockpiles of testing kits, infra-red thermometers, isolation gowns and masks,” Momen added.

About overall precautionary measures Momen said that health workers even up to upazila levels had been trained with necessary Treatment Protocol.

He added: “School children are also being trained to follow necessary personal hygiene. We have stockpiles of testing kits, infra-red thermometers, isolation gowns and masks.”

The Coronavirus pandemic has now spread into 143 countries/territories/areas, killing more than 5,700 people with almost 154,000 people infected all over the world, as per WHO statistics till last evening.