‘Painful to not see my daughter, but the sacrifice is necessary’ – Shakib Al Hasan isolating himself in the US

Shakib Al Hasan, the Bangladesh all-rounder, has decided to stay in self-isolation after landing in the United States. The veteran isn’t oblivious of the COVID-19 pandemic and has taken the tough call of not meeting his wife, Umme Ahmed Shishir and daughter, Alaina Hasan. In the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, Shakib has put up at a hotel away from his loved ones.

He understood that he was at risk since he travelled through flight. He also expressed the grief of not being able to see his daughter after going to the US. However, the 32-year-old Shakib reckoned that he needed to make the sacrifice for their well-being in the long run.

I decided to isolate myself, says Shakib Al Hasan

“Reached the USA a few days ago, and I was a bit worried in the flight. But I tried to keep up with the hygiene directives as precautionary measures. After I reached the US, I headed straight to the hotel. I informed them (wife and daughter) that I would be staying here,” Shakib was quoted as saying in a video he uploaded on his official Facebook handle.

“Since I came via flight, there’s a risk of me carrying the virus. So, I decided to isolate myself. I didn’t even meet my daughter after coming here. It is very painful for me that I can’t see her. But I think this sacrifice is very important at the moment,” the Magura-born stated.

Shakib, who’s serving ban from the ICC since October 2019, also had a message, regarding the importance of social distancing for a few days and also staying indoors.

“Those who are staying abroad, it’s important to stay indoors and avoid going outdoors. Another thing that one should be mindful is not allowing relatives or neighbours at your places. It’s important to stay at home at least in the next 14 days,” he added.

Moreover, he urged people to not press the panic button as he feels that getting animated won’t bring any improvement to the grave situation. Shakib asked them to wash hands with sanitizers, keep distance from others and also follow the directives instructed while sneezing.

Here Shakib’s video in Bengali