At least 9 per cent of the police force has been infected with the Covid-19 virus in the last 24 hours. A total of 854 police personnel have been infected with the Covid-19 virus. Five policemen have already died from the deadly virus, according to the police headquarters.
At least 113 members of the police working on the frontline have tested positive for coronavirus in the last 24 hours.
Of the total, 449 are in Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP), and 93 have been newly affected in the last 24 hours. No new case of recovery of police has been confirmed in the last 24 hours, keeping the number to 57.
Coronavirus cases in Bangladesh jumped to 9,455 as a record number of 665 people were diagnosed with the virus infections in the last 24 hours till Sunday.
A total of 854 police personnel have been infected of total 9,455 with the virus infections in the last 24 hours till Sunday.
The death toll from the virus in the country rose to 177 with two more deaths being reported during the period from the infection.
Besides, 315 are in isolation as they showed Covid-19 like symptoms while 1,250 others, who were in close contacts with the infected ones, are put in quarantine, the data shows.
With more and more police personnel being infected with the highly contagious virus, the 250-bed Central Police Hospital in Dhaka is struggling to accommodate patients.
DMP is facing problems to keep its force members, who were in close contact with infected ones, in isolation and quarantine.
DMP has rented at least seven hotels for isolation and several schools to put police personnel in quarantine as the barracks are already overcrowded.
A number of field-level police personnel said the government should focus on the accommodation and food for the police men and women in isolation and
quarantine."We risk our lives to keep people safe. It is time the government keeps us safe," said an assistant commissioner of the DMP.
As the police barracks are overcrowded, DMP has rented at least seven hotels for isolation and some schools to keep its members in quarantine to prevent further spread.
Around two lakh police members have been discharging their duties from their respective positions to ensure safety of people amid the spread of coronavirus.
Bangladesh Police has taken necessary steps to ensure that police personnel infected with coronavirus receive maximum treatment while trying to keep morale high among the force.
Police Headquarters' Assistant Inspector General (media) Md Sohel Rana made the statement through a video message on Thursday.
He said, "We are ensuring that the infected police members receive proper treatment at the hospitals. Besides, senior officials and their line chiefs are visiting the hospital to keep them motivated."
He also asked everyone to look after the wellbeing of the families of the infected policemen.
Police are also trying to locate a large number of the expatriate population who are residing in places different from the addresses on their passports.
However, the constable level police members discharge their duties with no or little personal protective equipment (PPE). They patrol the streets and neighbourhoods across the country for as many 12 to 14 consecutive hours at a stretch.
Masudur Rahman, Deputy Commissioner of DMP (Media), said coronavirus prevention equipment was being provided to the police units.
