Akash Rahman and Saddam Hossain were fined a total of Tk 10,000 for organising the religious gathering at Patkel Bari village on Friday, Sadar Upazila Executive Officer and Magistrate Abu Sufian said.

Around 100 people had already gathered at the venue of the Waz-Mahfil when officials arrived on being informed by locals.

Sufian said the district administration issued a notice on Thursday banning all sorts of religious, political, social or cultural gathering to stop the outbreak following orders from the Prime Minister’s Office.

The PMO orders came after thousands gathered to recite “healing verses together in order to drive away the coronavirus” in Lakshmipur on Wednesday.