Bangladesh went into a strict Covid-19 lockdown, with the army and police ordered to stop people leaving their homes except for emergencies or to buy essentials.
The government says the South Asian nation of 168 million people is seeing an “alarming and dangerous” rise in cases, blamed largely on the highly infectious Delta variant, AFP reports.
Hospitals are struggling, particularly in areas bordering India where the strain was first detected. Some rural towns have recorded infection rates of 70 per cent.
Dhaka's police chief told reporters that anyone leaving home without a good reason would be fined and may face arrest.
