<p>Bangladesh has announced it will impose a tough new lockdown starting Monday, after a "dangerous and alarming" surge in Delta variant cases of coronavirus.</p>.<p>All government and private offices will be shut for a week and only medical-related transport will be allowed, the government said late Friday.</p>.<p>"No one can step out of their homes except in emergency cases," a statement added.</p>.<p>Health department spokesman Robed Amin said police and border guards would be deployed to enforce the lockdown and the army may be involved if needed.</p>.<p>"It is a dangerous and alarming situation. If we don't contain it now, we will face an India-like situation," Amin told <em>AFP</em>, referring to a surge in cases in neighbouring India in April and May.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/coronavirus" target="_blank"><strong>CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE ONLY ON DH</strong></a></p>.<p>Infection rates have been rising sharply since mid-May in Bangladesh, home to around 170 million people.</p>.<p>On Friday the government recorded almost 6,000 new cases and 108 fatalities, the second-highest death toll yet in the pandemic.</p>.<p>Authorities say the situation in districts near the Indian border is catastrophic, with hospitals in the cities of Khulna and Rajshahi overwhelmed.</p>.<p>Infection numbers in India have fallen sharply in recent weeks, with fewer than 50,000 new cases reported on Friday, down from more than 400,000 daily in early May.</p>.<p>But authorities in the western Indian state of Maharashtra on Friday tightened restrictions because of concerns about a new variant, Delta plus, around 50 cases of which have been reported nationwide.</p>
<p>Bangladesh has announced it will impose a tough new lockdown starting Monday, after a "dangerous and alarming" surge in Delta variant cases of coronavirus.</p>.<p>All government and private offices will be shut for a week and only medical-related transport will be allowed, the government said late Friday.</p>.<p>"No one can step out of their homes except in emergency cases," a statement added.</p>.<p>Health department spokesman Robed Amin said police and border guards would be deployed to enforce the lockdown and the army may be involved if needed.</p>.<p>"It is a dangerous and alarming situation. If we don't contain it now, we will face an India-like situation," Amin told <em>AFP</em>, referring to a surge in cases in neighbouring India in April and May.</p>.<p><a href="https://www.deccanherald.com/tag/coronavirus" target="_blank"><strong>CORONAVIRUS SPECIAL COVERAGE ONLY ON DH</strong></a></p>.<p>Infection rates have been rising sharply since mid-May in Bangladesh, home to around 170 million people.</p>.<p>On Friday the government recorded almost 6,000 new cases and 108 fatalities, the second-highest death toll yet in the pandemic.</p>.<p>Authorities say the situation in districts near the Indian border is catastrophic, with hospitals in the cities of Khulna and Rajshahi overwhelmed.</p>.<p>Infection numbers in India have fallen sharply in recent weeks, with fewer than 50,000 new cases reported on Friday, down from more than 400,000 daily in early May.</p>.<p>But authorities in the western Indian state of Maharashtra on Friday tightened restrictions because of concerns about a new variant, Delta plus, around 50 cases of which have been reported nationwide.</p>