Dhaka, July 9 -- A new very strict lockdown was imposed in Bangladesh on 1 July. People cannot leave home for any reason and there are no means to move, except by rickshaws, whose prices have doubled.

An attempt is underway to control a pandemic that has not yet reached its peak. I think the numbers of cases is underestimated. According to official sources, Bangladesh has reported 955,000 cases with 15,000 deaths.

If before large cities were mainly affected, now with the arrival of vaccines the situation is reversing. The "hottest" areas are those on the border with India, while cases have declined in urban areas.

People have not fully grasped the gravity of the situation. Many people go around without a mask, and social distancing and...