SOUTH ASIAN: No fewer than hundred thousand people defied a nationwide coronavirus lockdown in Bangladesh just to attend the funeral of a top Islamic preacher.
Bangladesh imposed a nationwide lockdown on March 26 as coronavirus spread across the country of 168 million people.
The health department said the number of cases had risen by more than 300 on Saturday to about 2,200, while nine more deaths in one day took the toll to 84.
Even as authorities battle a surge in virus cases, these devotees on Saturday trooped out in thousands to pay final respect to the popular Imam
Police had agreed with the family of Jubayer Ahmad Ansari, that only 50 people would attend the funeral in the eastern town of Sarail because of the risk of spreading the disease.
According to Aide to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina – Shah Ali Farhad, over 100,000 people were present for the funeral, while the local police chief – Shahadat Hossain added that officers were helpless to stop the crowds who came to honour the 55-year-old popular preacher and seminary head, who died on Friday.
“People came in waves,” he said.
More than 100,000 people in Bangladesh attend the burial of a very popular Islamic preacher and a senior leader of the Islamist party in the district of Brahmanbaria.
We would see the result of this madness in 2 weeks time. Stay tuned. pic.twitter.com/sg5QdjXcoJ
— #OurFavOnlineDoc 🛂 (@DrOlufunmilayo) April 20, 2020
Source: Dawn