Residents living at Wari in old Dhaka are going to stay at home for long 21 days as the area is entering a complete lockdown from Saturday morning.

The lockdown in Wari – marked as a novel coronavirus red zone – will begin from 6:00am with restrictions on movement, and it will continue until July 25.  

Tipu Sultan Road, Jahangir Road, the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway portion from Baldha Garden to Joy Kali Temple, Larmini Road, Hare Road, War Road, Rankin Road and Nawab Road – all under Ward No. 41 of Dhaka South City Corporation--will be brought under the lockdown at 6:00am.

Bamboo barricades have been set up and banners announcing the lockdown at the 21 entrances of the Wari red zones on Friday.

The locked down areas will have a 21-day general holiday with all offices in the area shut. All businesses, shops, markets, mosques and temples will remain closed – except medicine shops.   

No one will be allowed outdoors without emergency reasons in these areas until Jul 25. Offices, workplaces, places of worship and shops will remain closed.

Police said they will only allow people with emergencies to go out once the lockdown is in effect. Otherwise, all kinds of movements in and out or within the area will be highly restricted.     

Among the 16 entrances of the area, only two will remain open for emergency entry and exit. Apart from the police, the army will be patrolling to ensure movement restrictions.

The locals will be able to shop online and the commodities will be sent to their homes under special arrangements.

"We have completed our preparations," local Ward Councilor Sarwar Hasan said on Friday.

Ward councillor Sarwar said, "We have already set up the control room and a booth for collecting samples."

He said preparations have also been taken to supply food to minimum 1,000 residents. Besides, a large volunteer team will be serving people.

Sarwar said they have announced the lockdown from the mosques through loudspeakers and distributed leaflets.

The ward councilor said a number of local businessmen of the area sought a "movement pass" so that they can continue their respective businesses amid the lockdown. But, their requests were rejected, he said.

Earlier, authorities mapped Wari as a red zone with high density of novel coronavirus cases.  Subsequently, Dhaka South moved to lock the area down with the go-ahead of the health directorate.

The Central Management Committee of Dhaka South City Corporation will supervise the implementation. 

Previously on June 10, the East Rajabazar area was put under lockdown on a pilot basis to curb the Covid-19 spread. After yielding "satisfactory outputs," the authorities lifted the restrictions partly on June 30.

Apart from the capital, lockdown is going on in 19 other districts with some of its parts marked as red zones.

The districts are: Cox's Bazar, Magura, Khulna, Habiganj, Faridpur, Manikganj, Brahmanbaria, Narsingdi, Kushtia, Chattogram, Bogura, Chuadanga, Moulvibajar, Narayanganj, Munsiganj, Cumilla, Jashore, and Madaripur.