The following is a detailed timeline of the COVID-19 pandemic in Bangladesh. The first confirmed cases were recorded in Bangladesh on 8 March 2020 and continued to spread. As of 15 November 2025, the number of confirmed cases were over two million and the number of deaths were 29,530. SARS-CoV-2 infections in Bangladesh were primarily driven by the alpha, beta, delta and omicron (BA.2, BA.4/.5, XBB) variants. Highest number of daily cases were the following: 16,230 on 28 July 2021 and 16,033 on 25 January 2022.
Timeline
January On 22 January, the authorities at the Dhaka airport put the airports on alert by screening travelers from China.
February On 1 February, a special flight from Bangladesh evacuated 312 Bangladeshi citizens stranded in Wuhan. The evacuees were quarantined for 14 days at the Ashkona Hajj Camp in Dhaka and other locations. None of them tested positive for the coronavirus.
March
8 March On 8 March, The first three coronavirus cases were confirmed. The IEDCR director Prof. Meerjady Sabrina Flora announced at a press conference that 2 men (from Narayangonj) and 1 woman (From Madaripur) had tested positive for COVID-19. The patients were aged between 20 and 35. Of them, two men were Italy returnees and the woman was a family member of one of these two. IEDCR launched three hotlines to call for information about coronavirus. Approximately about 111 tests were conducted in Bangladesh. On the same day, Bangladesh decided not to hold the planned grand inauguration ceremony of the founding president Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's birth centenary celebration programmes on 17 March to avoid public gatherings.
16 March On 16 March, Flora stated that an additional 3 COVID-19 patients had been detected in Bangladesh, including 2 children. Also, the Education Ministry of Bangladesh announced that it will close all educational institutions until 31 March and Dhaka University from 18 March 2020 to 28 March 2020.
17 March On 17 March 2 more patients were diagnosed with coronavirus. One of them is an expatriate Bangladeshi and another one was in the institutional quarantine.
18 March On 18 March, Bangladesh reported its first coronavirus death. The patient was aged over 70 and had various medical conditions like COPD, diabetes, hypertension, heart problems.
In the last 24 hours, 4 more COVID-19 patients (three male and one female) were detected where as samples of 49 people were tested. The three males were returnees from Italy and Kuwait while the female was a family member of a COVID-19 patient identified earlier.
Till date, there were a total of 341 individuals tested among whom there were 48 known positive cases, 1 reported death, and 3 recoveries.
Despite risks of spreading COVID-19, at least 25,000 Muslims joined a prayer named 'Khatme Shifa' after dawn to fight the COVID-19 pandemic, at Central Eidgah in Lakshmipur's Raipur.
19 March As of 19 March, a total of 397 individuals have been tested since 21 January 2020. Among all those tested, there was a total of 17 positive cases, 3 recoveries, and 1 death. In the last 24 hours, a total of 46 individuals have been tested among whom 3 (two males and one female) were newly tested positive. They are all members of the family of one Italy returnee. Of them, the men are aged 32 and 65 while the woman is 22 years old. Bangladesh imposed its first lockdown at Shibchar, Madaripur. From 8 pm, the local administration enforced a complete shutdown in Shibchar municipality and three unions of Shibchar Upazila in an effort to contain the spread of coronavirus after 9 people from the area was announced to have tested positive.
20 March As of 20 March, the government press release stated that a total of 433 individuals have been tested among which there is a total of 20 positive cases, 3 recoveries and 1 death. According to the government press release, in the last 24 hours, a total of 36 individuals have been tested among whom 3 (two males and one female) were newly tested positive. The female in her 30s and the male in his 70s had known contact with a recent returnee from abroad. The male in his 30s has history of travel in Rome and Berlin. The patient in his 70s was in the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) because of his critical condition. The Daulatdia brothel, one of the largest brothels in the world was ordered to shut down. Mountaineer Wasfia Nazreen, the first Bangladeshi to complete Seven Summits, announced on Facebook that she was tested positive for COVID-19 in Los Angeles, California.
21 March As of 21 March, a total of 433 individuals have been tested among which there is a total of 24 positive cases, 3 recoveries and 2 deaths. According to the government press release, in the last 24 hours, a total of 36 individuals have been tested among whom 4 were newly tested positive. The second coronavirus death in Bangladesh was announced. The death of this man in his 70s is likely the first known death from community transmission since how he got infected remained unknown as he and his family did not have any history of travel abroad. Following his death at the nearby Delta Medical Hospital, the authorities locked down the Tolarbagh neighbourhood of Mirpur, Dhaka.
22 March As of 22 March, a total of 564 individuals have been tested among which there is a total of 27 positive cases, 5 recoveries and 2 deaths. According to the government press release, in the last 24 hours, a total of 65 individuals have been tested among whom 3 were newly tested positive. Among them, was a 30-year-old doctor, who treated the patient who died on 20 March. Higher Secondary School Certificate (HSC exam) which was going to begin on 1 April got postponed until further notice.
23 March As of 23 March, a total of 620 individuals have been tested among which there is a total of 33 positive cases, 5 recoveries and 3 deaths. Among those tested positive, 2 are under 10, 1 is between 10 and 20, 9 between 21 and 30, 9 between 31 and 40, 5 between 41 and 50, 1 between 51 and 60, and 6 are over 60. Among the 33 affected people, 15 lived in Dhaka, 10 are from Madaripur, 3 from Narayanganj, 2 from Gaibandha, 1 from Comilla, 1 from Gazipur, and 1 from Chuadanga. Among them, 13 has a history from foreign travel and the rest transmitted the disease from those who traveled abroad. Among those who returned from a foreign country, 6 came from Italy, 2 from the US, 2 from the UK, 2 from European countries other than Italy, 1 from Bahrain, 1 from India, and 1 from Kuwait. According to the government press release, in the last 24 hours, a total of 56 individuals were tested among whom 6 were newly tested positive. Among the 6 new cases (3 males, 3 females), one is a physician, two are nurses, and two recently arrived from India and Bahrain. The third known coronavirus-related death was announced. The deceased was a neighbor of the second person who died from coronavirus. The two may have been infected at the same mosque in Tolarbag area, where they both regularly went for their prayers. The government announced the closure of all government and private offices from 26 March until 4 April to prevent the spread of coronavirus. Only emergency services like law enforcement and healthcare services were exempted from this announcement. It was also announced that the armed forces will be deployed on 24 March to facilitate prevention of spread of coronavirus.
24 March As of 24 March, a total of 712 individuals have been tested among which there is a total of 39 positive cases, 5 recoveries and 4 deaths. According to the government press release, in the last 24 hours, a total of 92 individuals have been tested among whom 6 were newly tested positive. Among them, one recently returned from Saudi Arabia after completing Umrah and the other four were known to have come in contact with patients tested positive for COVID-19. The fourth known coronavirus-related death of a female occurred in the last 24 hours. The person was over 70. It is not known how the woman contracted the virus. The government announced a 10-day ban on all passenger travel via water, rail, and domestic air routes from 26 March till 4 April. The government deployed the armed forces, including police and army, to ensure that people maintain social distancing and quarantine to prevent spread of the deadly COVID-19.
25 March As of 25 March, a total of 794 individuals have been tested among which there is a total of 39 positive cases, 5 recoveries and 5 deaths. According to the government press release, in the last 24 hours, a total of 82 individuals have been tested among whom 0 were newly tested positive. 1 coronavirus-related death occurred in the last 24 hours. The fifth known person to have died in Bangladesh due to COVID-19 was 65 years old and was a relative of another patient tested positive. The person was tested positive on 18 March and was receiving treatment in a hospital. When the patient's condition deteriorated, s/he was admitted to the Kuwait Friendship Hospital on 21 March. The patient, who also had diabetes and hypertension, succumbed to death in the morning of 25 March. All domestic flights were suspended.
26 March As of 26 March, a total of 920 individuals have been tested among which there is a total of 44 positive cases, 11 recoveries and 5 deaths. According to the government press release, in the last 24 hours, a total of 126 individuals were tested among whom 5 were newly tested positive. Among them, two are between 30 and 40, two between 40 and 50, and one is over 60. According to a newspaper report, an officer working at the Ministry of Health was one of those who tested positive. Bangladesh observed its 50th Independence Day on a limited scale as the government cancelled all celebrations and mass gatherings to prevent the spread of coronavirus. To mark the day, important structures and main roads were illuminated and decorated with national flags. This was the first day of the 10-day shutdown that the government announced to contain the spread of coronavirus.
27 March As of 27 March, a total of 1026 individuals have been tested among which there was a total of 48 positive cases, 11 recoveries and 5 deaths. According to the government press release, in the last 24 hours, a total of 106 individuals were tested among whom 4 were newly tested positive. Among the 4 new cases (three females and one male), two are physicians who treated patients infected with COVID-19. Two are from Dhaka and two are from outside of Dhaka. Three of them had contact with known patients tested for COVID-19, the source of one is unknown. The government announced that in addition to IEDCR, three other organizations have started testing for COVID-19. The institutions are Institute of Public Health(IPH), Dhaka Shishu Hospital, and Bangladesh Institute of Tropical and Infectious Disease (BITID). So far patients with suspected COVID-19 symptoms have been reported to have been assessed and died in Cox's Bazar, Jessore, Khagrachhari, Noakhali, Rajshahi etc. Biman Bangladesh announced that it would suspend all domestic and international flights from 30 March till 7 April. The airlines will operate its flights to London and Manchester on 29 March and fly back to Dhaka on 30 March. Despite lockdown, Muslims across the country were reported to have joined the Jumah prayer at the mosques on Friday. Bangladesh received medical supplies including 30,000 COVID-19 testing kits from Jack Ma Foundation founded by Alibaba Group's founder.
28 March On 28 March, it was reported that a total of 47 individuals were tested in the last 24 hours, but none were newly tested positive. 4 new patients were declared as recovered from COVID-19.
Till date, there were a total of 1076 individuals tested among whom there were 48 known positive cases, 5 reported deaths, and 15 recoveries.