Bangladesh postpones founder Mujibur Rahman’s birth centenary event amid coronavirus scare; Narendra Modi's Dhaka visit uncertain

Dhaka: Bangladesh has decided to postpone the birth centenary celebrations of its founder Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, hours after three coronavirus cases were detected in the country, according to media reports on Monday.

The year-long celebrations were scheduled to open amid massive festivities at the National Parade Ground in Dhaka on 17 March and was expected to be attended by several foreign dignitaries including Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

However, the inauguration programme will be held in a scaled-down manner, and foreign guests may not be in attendance, The Daily Star reported.

The grand inaugural ceremony of the “Mujib Borsho” or Mujib Year, which was scheduled to be held at the National Parade Ground in Dhaka on 17 March — and kickoff the year-long celebrations — will now be held at a later date, Kamal Abdul Naser Chowdhury was quoted as saying by the Dhaka Tribune.

Kamal, chief coordinator of the national committee to implement Mujib Year celebrations, said on Sunday that all other programmes will be organised avoiding massive public gatherings.

“The re-scheduled programmes will be declared on Monday after a meeting of the committee,” Kamal, a former principal secretary to Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, was quoted as saying by the Daily Star.

Bangladesh on Sunday reported three cases of coronavirus. Two persons brought the disease from Italy, infecting the third one on their return home, officials said.

The infections, the first reported cases in the country, have come four days after Dhaka restricted entry of the people from major coronavirus-prone countries without a virus-free medical certificate.