The district administration of Brahmanbaria has placed villages connected with a local madrasa under lockdown as several thousand people attended the namaz-e-janaza of the founder of the institution Mawlana Jubayer Ahmed Ansari ignoring the risk of COVID-19.

The district administration on Saturday evening asked villagers to stay at home until further notice.

Mawlana Jubayer Ahmed Ansari passed away on Friday night at his home in Bertala village on Friday night.

According to locals, about 50,000 people attended the janaza around 10am on Saturday, defying the government’s strict social distancing rule.

On Thursday evening, the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) declared the entire country as vulnerable to virus infection, prompting the administration to put the entire country under virtual lockdown.

The DGHS has urged all to strictly abide by some specific restrictions, including holding meetings, gatherings and outside movement.