The government has locked down Shibchar Upazila in Madaripur as a part of fighting COVID-19. No citizen is allowed to enter into or exit from the upazila from Thursday (Mar 19).

"Medicine, raw materials, departmental stores and emergency services will continue operation, other stores and public transport are banned [in the upazila]," said Upazila Nirbahi Officer (UNO) Md Asaduzzaman.

"The lockdown will commence from Mar 19 dusk," he said.

"The decision came due to the fear of local coronavirus transmission," he added.

Upazila Health Officer Shashank Chandra Ghosh said that as many as 220 are under home quarantine in the district, while one is under hospital quarantine and four are under isolation.

A total of 136 have released from quarantine, he added.