Hundreds and thousands of people, returning to the capital after having enjoyed the Eid festivals, are taking risks of transmitting coronavirus while boarding buses, trucks, ferries and while waiting on the streets.
Most of such long-distance passengers are said to be ignoring the health safety guidelines while trying to catch transports on the highways in absence of formal inter-district passenger bus services.
Thousands of people from different regions of the country have started thronging at Abdullahpur, Jatrabari and Gabtali areas of Dhaka since last Sunday and Monday waiting for buses, trucks or any means of transport.
Due to the closure of public transport services, these passengers from different parts of the country have been running in crowds to their destination by, autorickshaw, motorcycle and microbus. In addition, they are forced to pay fares many times more than it originally or usually pay.
Meanwhile, people in the south-west have started crossing the river through Paturia, Daulatdia and Shimulia ghats to return to work amid the risk of Corona virus infection. On Monday (May 17) morning, there was a huge crowd in the ghat areas with health rules being overthrown. Many of them were without masks, let alone the social distancing.
Despite the various initiatives of the authorities, people are returning to work with extreme health risks. Additional police personnel have been deployed in the ferry terminals to handle the pressure of extra passengers.
Passengers couldn't but thronged on the ferry for other coasters as launches and speedboats are shutt due to lockdown. There is no passenger canopy or terminal for passengers at the ferry terminal.
Getting down from the alternative local vehicles miles away, passengers have to walk all the way to the ferries amid the scorching hot sun.
On the other hand, once getting on the ferry, a large number of passengers have to stand in the open deck and as thousands of passengers have to cross together, they have to stay in a huddle for about one and a half to two hours. The suffering of female passengers is even greater.
Farzana Islam, a Dhaka-bound passenger waiting for the ferry, said, "I feel sick in the scorching heat. There are no trees in the wharf, the sand under the feet is also hot. We are in great distress."
Another passenger said, "There is always a crowd of passengers during the Eid season. This time all the passengers are under pressure on the ferry, the only coaster. All in all, this time the journey is miserable and difficult."
Public health experts says that the closure of public transport has created a serious threat to the corona infection as people come and go in such a crowd.
The 'lockdown' has increased by one week sensing this fear. In this situation, the Department of Health has requested those who have gone home ignoring the instructions of the government to return to Dhaka after 14 days if their offices are not opened.
On Sunday (May 16), the Director of the Department of Disease Control (CDC) of the Department of Health, Prof Dr Md Nazmul Islam said, "Those who have gone home, and whose offices have not opened yet, return to school-college late but there is no harm. They are requested to return to Dhaka at least seven to 14 days late."
"The government's plan was that we should not leave our respective places this Eid. But we have seen a large number of people ignore this advice and try to return home in various ways. We have also seen some tragic scenes there."
It is to be noted that the government had instructed everyone to stay in the workplace during the holidays so that the virus would not spread further with the Eid procession. Long-distance vehicles by rail, sea and road were announced to be closed meanwhile.
