All the UK returnees must stay in a 14-day institutional quarantine as the Cabinet on Monday made it mandatory in the wake of the spread of a new variant of Covid-19 in the United Kingdom.

The decision came at the Cabinet meeting held at the Bangladesh Secretariat. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina chaired the meeting  joining it virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban.

“Every returnee, whoever arrives by London flights, will have to stay in quarantine. Even if he or she was tested Covid-19 negative yesterday, the person will have to stay in a 14-day quarantine compulsorily,” said Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul while briefing reporters after the meeting.

There were two options — suspension of flight operation with London or going for strict  quarantine for London returnees—at the meeting. Finally, the Cabinet decided to enforce stricter quarantine rules for them, he said.

The Cabinet Secretary said the returnees must stay in either the government quarantine or any hotel under supervision of the government.

He said the government will take decisions at another meeting (to be held tonight) on Monday when the enforcement of the strong quarantine starts as the sudden enforcement will create problems for many.

A notification will be issued for the enforcement of the quarantine rule after a logical time of 2-3 days, said Secretary Khandker Anwarul.