Dhaka, Jan 14 (IANS): Bangladeshi Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has urged unvaccinated people to get inoculated soon in order to protect themselves against the ongoing Covid-19 resurgence triggered by the Omicron variant.

Speaking at an online event, Hasina said the Omicron variant is spreading fast and families are getting infected, calling on all people in the country to follow the health protocols properly and abide by the latest directives issued by the authorities, reports Xinhua news agency.

Bangladeshi authorities have started imposing stringent rules to combat the fresh spike in Covid-19 infections.

In parts of Dhaka and elsewhere in the country, mobile courts initiated drives and fined those violating the restrictions.

On Monday, Bangladesh's Cabinet Division issued a circular with 11-point directives to be effective from Thursday until further notice.

Under the directives, people must wear masks at gatherings, shopping malls and restaurants.

Buses and trains should be operated at half capacity.

All sorts of open-air gatherings, including social, political and cultural functions, were banned amid fears of the spread of the highly-contagious variant.

Also, people will have to show their vaccine certificates to eat at restaurants and stay in hotels.

Since the onset of the pandemic in early 2020, Bangladesh has recorded a total of 1,604,664 Covid-19 cases and 28,123 deaths.