Apprehensive teachers take part in EC training today amid coronavirus fear

Election Commission launched a training for teachers who will discharge duties in polling centres as presiding officers, assistant presiding officers and polling officers amid the fear of coronavirus spread, while the government shut down educational institutes, sports events, social, religious and cultural gatherings to contain the virus.

The training began at 9am across the port city today. The training will be conducted in five phases till March 28.

Teachers who were contacted by The Daily Star expressed their concern saying that it would endanger their lives, urging the authority to reschedule the election date.

The Daily Star talked at least 10 teachers of different schools who said they must comply with the government order for being government employees but their family members are very worried over the development of coronavirus spread.

"We are accepting the possible fatality as our destiny", one the teacher told The Daily Star.

Munir Hossain, assistant returning officer of Chattogram Regional Election Office told The Daily Star that the training began today and will continue till March 28.

"We are going to train up a total of 16,000 polling officers including presiding, assistant presiding officer in phases", he said.

Asked about coronavirus fear among teachers, he chose to cut conversation over phone.