Buet teachers, families upset over coronavirus lockdown
About one hundred teachers and their families have been stuck in a lockdown since Monday night
The teachers of the Bangladesh University of Engineering and Technology (Buet) and their families are frustrated because the authorities have locked-down the Dhakeshwari residential area after finding a case of novel coronavirus there.
Professor Dr Pran Kanai Saha, president of the Disciplinary Committee of the Dhakeshwari residential area, told The Business Standard on Tuesday, "We never thought that we will be affected by coronavirus. We are the first area in Bangladesh that took preventive measures against the virus."
Buet students were among the first who stopped attending classes to prevent the spread of coronavirus around the campus. The teachers of Buet also encouraged the students as they realised the devastating effect of the virus. But apparently it was not enough.
An assistant teacher of Buet's Mechanical Engineering department returned from a visit to India along with his mother and sister on March 11 and moved around freely. His mother was found to be infected with coronavirus on Monday. Buet locked down the area the same day.
About one hundred teachers and their families have been stuck in a lockdown since Monday night. They feel distressed.
"The teachers and others staying in the area are afraid. We are trying to calm them down through Facebook and mobile and land phones. I believe we can overcome this situation soon," said Dr Pran.
"The woman who is infected with the virus is still strong. Doctors are providing her normal treatment. She is isolated at her home. Her son and daughter's are also doing well. They are maintaining the rules of isolation," he added.
Buet Teachers' Association President Professor AKM Masud told The Business Standard that some teachers were angry at the teacher whose mother was infected by the virus, but they have calmed down after counselling.
"We were prepared to tackle any untoward situation in the Buet's residential areas. That is why we held several meetings from the first week of February and made everyone aware. We managed the grocery shops and kept our medical team ready to respond to any emergency," said Professor AKM Masud.
"We are definitely worried. But we have asked all families to remain isolated. They have been asked not to go out of their homes, not even to adjacent flats," he added.
Visiting the surrounding area, our correspondent found that teachers and their family members are not coming out of the area and everyone is maintaining home quarantine rules.
Kamrul, a security guard, said, "The residential area was vibrant earlier. Now it has turned into a ghost area. We used to get tired serving the residents before, but now nobody comes to us. We have nothing much to do now."
Meanwhile, there are no students living in the Buet residential halls.