Bangladesh's single-day Covid-19 deaths on Friday hit a new high with 212 more fatalities while the country's coronavirus caseload crossed the 1 million-mark, health officials said.

The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) recorded 212 deaths in the last 24 hours. The previous high was 201, logged two days ago.

According to the official data, the Covid-19 death toll now stands at 16,004 and caseloads at 1,000,543.

We have proposed enforcement of a nationwide curfew as the ongoing shutdown appeared not adequate to sever the infection chain, a DGHS spokesman told reporters.

Talking to PTI, a senior DGHS official said that a 15-day countrywide curfew could have been the best move to contain the situation.

This (pandemic) is a war and in war you do not consider the human rights factor, said the official on the condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, Army troops were struggling to enforce a shutdown for the ninth consecutive day with the police.

Hundreds of people were detained briefly and fined as they left their homes without valid reasons even as the police said that they showed variety of excuses .

Everybody has important things to do please reduce your important workloads and stay indoors, Bangladesh's police chief Benazir Ahmed was heard saying while inspecting the enforcement of the shutdown in the capital.