Colombo, May 25 (IANS): After a nearly seven-week suspension amid the Covid-19 lockdown, long-route bus, train and ferry services in Bangladesh have resumed operations as the government eased pandemic restrictions.

The Bangladeshi government on Sunday extended the countrywide lockdown to May 30 but eased restrictions on long-route public transport services, which were suspended since April, reports Xinhua news agency.

The government decided to resume public transport services from midnight Sunday on the condition of people complying with the health rules, according to the latest circular issued by the country's Cabinet Division.

The decision came amid a slow down in the increase of new cases and fatalities in recent days.

On Monday, the country's Directorate General of Health Services reported 1,441 new cases of Covid-19 and 25 fatalities, bringing the number of total cases to 790,521 and the death toll to 12,401.

According to the official data, the Covid-19 fatality rate in Bangladesh is 1.57 perc ent and the current recovery rate is 92.54 per cent.

To combat the further spread of the virus, Bangladesh declared a seven-day lockdown effective from April 5, which was later extended with strict measures in phases to May 23, and extended again till May 30.