People in the Bandarban Hill Tracts are imposing community-wide isolation to prevent spread of coronavirus.

The villages are closed off with bamboo fencing and the people have locked themselves in their houses, cutting themselves off from the outside world.

"No one leaves the villages during this community lockdown, and no one from outside is allowed to enter the villages," said Leng Pung Mro, chief of a Mro village under Bandarban Sadar upazila.

"During such critical times, if anyone comes with relief aid, they would have to leave the items outside the fence [locally called Khasur], which villagers will collect at least three hours later," said Menbi Mro, an aged resident of Sing Chyang Para in Renikhyang Mouza under the upazila.

"We heard that there is coronavirus epidemic going on, so we have put up a Khasur [bamboo fencing] to isolate our village," Leng Pung Mro said.

"We believe that staying away from the infected will save us…," he said.

"This is a traditional practice among the hill people to lockdown their villages and ensure safety of the people during any epidemic," said Sing Young Mro, a Mro author.

"At least 20 villages have been locked down and will remain so until the situation returns to normalcy," Sing Young Mro, also a member of Bandarban Hill District Council, said.

"We brought relief from the government including rice, lentils, oil, etc. to different villages of ethnic communities today," said Kwe Shwe Hla, chairman of Bandarban Hill District Council.

"As per the advice of the community chiefs, we left the relief materials outside the fencing," he added.