No festivities out of home in Christmas, New Year: Home Ministry

The home ministry has asked the countrymen to refrain from celebrating Christmas Day and New Year in open space due to the pandemic.

The public security department of the ministry recently sent letter to the relevant department and institutions to take steps in this connection.

The Christmas will observed on December 25 (Saturday) while the New Year will be celebrated on 31 December. Earlier, the ministry also issued curbing measures centering the coronavirus last year.

The public security department sent the letter to the Inspector General of Police (IGP), divisional commissioner, Range DIG, deputy commissioners, police supers and president and secretary general of Bangladesh Cristian Association.

“No open gathering, meeting, religious or cultural event should be organised and celebrations should be held at a limited scale and following health protocols,” the letter read.

The new variant of the deadly coronavirus, omicron, which was first detected in South Africa now spread in at least 90 countries.

Bangladesh also reported two cases of the new variant. Two women cricketers who returned from Zimbabwe were tested positive for omicron.

Health Minister Zahid Maleque feared of worsening the situation which is stabilsed for months.

The letter sent by the ministry said, “Religious and social gatherings have been curbed in various countries across the world to contain omicron infection. As part of safety protocols Muslim, Hindu and Buddhist communities also observed their festivities in limited scale.”

The letter also asked local administration and local government at upazial, district, division and metropolitan areas to maintain the curbing measures.