Bangladesh s churches struggle to serve as Covid-19 rages
As the pandemic spreads and causes economic hardship, churches have no income to help hard-hit people
Churches in Bangladesh have been closed for a long time due to the deteriorating Covid-19 situation. (Photo: Stephan Uttom/UCA News)
Churches in Bangladesh are struggling to provide the faithful with spiritual and pastoral care and to assist marginalized communities amid a drop in donations during the worsening Covid-19 situation.
A deadly third wave of the pandemic hit the country in June as the more contagious Delta variant caused a massive spike in infections and deaths.
Poor response to Bangladesh s Covid-19 vaccination drive
Church officials blame a lack of awareness, misinformation and poor publicity for low registration
A young man receives a Covid-19 vaccine on Feb. 8 in Bangladesh’s Gopalgonj district. (Photo Hilton Bhowhick)
Bangladesh’s government has launched a nationwide mass Covid-19 vaccination program amid an apparent lack of enthusiasm from people to get registered for the jabs.
A total of 31,160 people who registered got first shots of the vaccine on the first day of the vaccination drive on Feb. 7, according to Health Ministry data.
However, health officials said the government was ready to vaccinate 360,000 people on the first day and was aiming for 3.5 million people to get a two-dose vaccine in the first phase of the drive.