School bells ring in Bangladesh after 543 days of COVID-19 break

Dhaka: School bells rang after a hiatus of 543 days in Bangladesh on Sunday, as tens of thousands of students returned to classes, amid an ease in the Coronavirus situation in the country and the vaccination programme picking up pace.

News channels aired footages of students in school uniform entering campuses with broad smiles, visible despite masks. Many reached their classes many hours in advance as excitement among students was palpable.

In many schools, teachers welcomed their pupils with flowers and chocolates. Guardians were barred from entry in the campuses as precaution against overcrowding and infection-spread.

Education Minister Dipu Moni has warned against any lax enforcement of safety measures, while authorities earlier said every class will convene only once a week initially, while schools are to strictly maintain the health guidelines.

"If it appears that the infections were reappearing, the government may decide to re-introduce online classes," she told newsmen after visiting a school in the capital's Azimpur area. Bangladesh closed schools on March 17, 2020 after the Coronavirus began to spread in the country, which has one of the highest population

densities in the world.