Bangladesh police officers fight pandemic with yoga
SITTING CROSS-LEGGED on mats in a courtyard, dozens of B a n g l a d e s h p o l i c e m e n breathed in and out in sync as they took part in mass yoga sessions organised to boost their health during the coronavirus pandemic.
Police officers played a key role in enforcing a lockdown in the country of 168 million people before it was lifted at the end of May.
But the virus has also infected more than 6,000 officers throughout Bangladesh, with 19 dying of Covid-19.
In the capital Dhaka, at least 1,850 policemen got the disease and 10 died, government figures show.
“They are playing a vital role staying on the streets to maintain law and order,” said Rajon Kumar Saha, a spokesman for
Dhaka police’s diplomatic security division, which initiated the yoga sessions on Sunday.
“It was important to keep them stress-free during duty,” he said.
Coronavirus cases in the impoverished nation were rising daily even during the lockdown, and experts fear there could be sharper increases with the economy now opening up.
In congested Dhaka, maintaining social distancing has been difficult for locals, adding to the pressure on police and other law enforcement agencies, said Saha.
“We were instructed to do what could be done to mora lly boost t he force amid t his cr isis. This yoga is a part of t hat mission for us,” he said, adding t hat up to 1,200 personnel will participate in t he sessions.
Yo g a i ns t r uct o r Shama Makhing, who led some 100 officers in stretching and breathing exercises early on Monday, said the ancient practice from India would support the officers physically and mentally.
“They cannot skip duty,” said Makhing. “Therefore it is important for the policemen to be fit. Yoga . . . can help with their breathing.”
T he u n it ’s deput y c h ief Muhit Kabir Sa rneabat sa id police were considering rolling out yoga and other physica l exercises for of f icers i n ot her div isions.
Bangladesh has reported more than 68,500 v irus cases including over 930 deaths.