Amdadul Haque
The movement of vehicles and people is being increased alarmingly despite the rise of new coronavirus cases across the country.
People have started roaming without following proper health guidelines and maintaining social distancing. Many are reluctant to stay at home and obey government’s instructions to fight against the deadly virus. On the other hand, several others were forced to come out of their houses as they live hand to mouth.
However, a large number of vehicles were seen on the roads in last two days across the country including the capital city Dhaka.
Despite various restrictions to prevent the spread of the deadly virus, people have rented private cars and motorcycles to go to their ancestral houses ahead of Eid-ul-Fitr as there is no public transport plying on roads.
Dhaka-Chattogram and Dhaka-Sylhet highways are under pressure of homebound people ahead of the Eid-ul-Fitr festival. Police are setting up check posts at various places on the highway, stopping vehicles and interrogating people. However, many people were crossing the check posts on various excuses.
Police personnel have taken several tough initiatives to control these desperate people from moving from one place to another. The gateways of Dhaka are almost sealed for last couple of days. People can only go through the gateways if they can show a valid reason to enter or go out of the city.
However, homebound people adopted many tricks to dodge law enforcers on roads. Many are heading towards their villages by renting ambulances, microbuses and private cars. Several others were seen leaving Dhaka in pickup vans at midnight.
The ferry services at Paturia-Daulatdia Ghat remained halted to ensure social distancing and avoid unwanted movement of the people. So the number of people on this route to Southern districts of the country has decreased. But the rest of the roads and highways across the country are still crowded.
Taslima Begum, an elderly woman told Bangladesh Post that she started from Dhaka to go to Chittagong. "I had to pay five times more than the regular fare and changed seven to eight vehicles so far. I don't have a plenty of money to spend as fare. I am worried about reaching to my destination."
Kamran Ahmed, a man returning home told Bangladesh Post that he would go to Comilla's Daudkandi upazila. "I came from Dhaka by using a number of vehicles. I walked at least 10 kilometres after crossing the Gumti Bridge."
Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP) Rahmat Ullah, in-charge of Comilla highway police told Bangladesh Post that police sent back the vehicles that had tried to cross the bridges and check posts. We are also trying to ensure that cargo trucks could not transport passengers, he added.
The roads of the capital have also returned to its old look. On Thursday, traffic jams were seen on various roads in the city. Apart from private cars and CNG-run auto-rickshaws, other vehicles including rickshaws were plying on the roads.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) imposed strict restrictions on entering and leaving the capital. But, many city-dwellers have been desperate to return home from Dhaka for last two days ahead of the Eid festival.
The authorities concerned have been instructed to strictly control vehicles other than those engaged in emergency services on the highway.
Mozammel Hoque Chowdhury, secretary general of Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samity, told Bangladesh Post: “Every year, more than 30 million people from major cities of the country, including the capital, travel to their respective village homes to enjoy Eid holidays with their relatives. But, this year the situation is totally different as the coronavirus cast a pall over everything.”
He said, “Over the last few days, we have seen that many people are seen leaving the capital, using various types of transports as restrictions on public transports remain in place.”
To keep the coronavirus crisis from worsening, he also urged the government to impose a 10-day curfew before and after Eid-ul-Fitr.
Inspector General of Police (IGP) Benazir Ahmed on Tuesday said, “We observed that many people are trying to go to their villages in different ways, paying no heed to government’s instructions. There is a huge risk of contracting coronavirus for them.”
Commenting on the overall issue, Health Minister Zahid Malek told media that the government has taken the highest steps to prevent the virus. I have been saying from the beginning to make the lockdown effectively and ensure social distancing, he added.
The minister also said, “Health instructions have been published and broadcast on daily newspapers and television channels to create awareness. But people don't seem to be listening. As thousands of people are heading to their villages it could spread the infection widely.”
On Thursday, a maximum of 1,773 coronavirus infected patients have been identified in the country.
