Juma prayers at Tangail mosque suspended

Juma prayers at a mosque -- 201 Gambuj Mosque -- in Tangail's Gopalpur upazila have been suspended to prevent the risk of coronavirus spread.  

"The mosque management committee took the decision today. The suspension will continue for an indefinite period," Mostafizur Rahman, officer-in-charge of Gopalpur Police Station told The Daily Star.

Daily prayers, however, will continue as usual, he added.

The mosque's founder, freedom fighter Md Rafiqul Islam, took the decision as thousands of devotees attend the Friday prayers.

This is the first suspension of Juma prayers in the country after coronavirus was detected in Bangladesh.

Four new persons were diagnosed with coronavirus in Bangladesh today taking the total number of confirmed cases to 18.

Meanwhile, Bangladesh yesterday reported the first death from the novel coronavirus -- a man in his 70s -- amid growing public anxiety over the government's preparations to contain the spread of the virus.