12 expatriates in six districts fined for violating home quarantine

Mobile courts in different districts fined at least 12 expatriates between Tuesday night and yesterday afternoon for not abiding by the government-mandated home-quarantine of 14 days.

In Chattogram, five expatriates who returned from three different countries including Oman, United Arab Emirate and Saudi Arabia were fined by mobile courts in Chattogram yesterday.

The mobile courts were conducted in Hathazari, Raozan, Anoara and Patia upazilas to take action against those not following the government directive of 14-day self-quarantine for all foreign returnees, said AZM Sharif Hossain, Additional District Magistrate of Chattogram.

Among them, three returnees from the United Arab Emirates and two from Saudi Arabia and Oman were fined Tk 10,000 each, said Sharif Hossain, adding that they were spotted walking outside and violating the quarantine.

The fines were imposed as per Section 269 of the Penal Code, he added.

In Madaripur, two people -- one returned from Italy and the other from Spain -- were fined by a mobile court under Kalkini upazila this afternoon.

The mobile court, led by Upazila Nirbahi Officer Aminul Islam, fined the Italy returnee, who came to Bangladesh on March 9, Tk 5,000 while the Spain returnee, who landed in the country on March 4, was fined Tk 25,000.

A total of 220 people are in home quarantine in Madaripur, said Md. Safikul Islam, civil surgeon in Madaripur.

In Narayanganj, two expatriates were fined Tk 10,000 each by a mobile court yesterday afternoon.  

Nahid Barik, UNO of Sadar upazila conducted the mobile court at Shibu market area, where individuals under self-quarantine were roaming about freely.

One of the expatriates came from Saudi Aribia on March 7 and the other from Kuwait on March 10, said the UNO.

In Cumilla, an family of expatriates had come to Bangladesh on March 16 from Italy and violated the rules of home quarantine, said AKM Saiful Alam, UNO of Laksham.

They were fined Tk 10,000 for the violation, he added.

"We have locked down their main gate and they will have to be in home quarantine until March 31," he added.

"A local municipality councillor has been assigned to take care of them and they will contact the councillor over phone if they have any needs," The UNO said.

In Jamalpur, a female expatriate was fined Tk 10,000 by a mobile court at municipal area this afternoon. 

The woman, who returned from Saudi Aribia on March 14, violated the rules of home quarantine, said Mahmuda Begum, assistant commissioner (land) of Sadar upazila.

In Shariatpur, police detained a man aged around 30 in Naria upazila yesterday afternoon after receiving information that he was roaming around on his motorcycle, said Hafizur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Naria Police Station.

Hours after the detention, Saiful Islam, assistant commissioner (land) of Naria, set up a mobile court and fined him Tk 50,000, the OC said.

The man came to Bangladesh from Italy on March 8, he added.