At the beginning of the current year, the country witnessed a drastic fall of coronavirus cases. But the trend lasted for only two months —January and February. Daily case numbers exploded since early March across the country again due to utter violation of health guidelines.
Apart from the major cities, new coronavirus hot spots have emerged across the border districts like Khulna, Satkhira, Jashore, Rajshahi, Naogaon, Chapai Nawabganj. The government enforced a strict lockdown again shutting shopping malls, markets and shops and suspending operation of inter-district buses and coaches, trains and launches to prevent the spread of coronavirus.
And after a seven-week ban on transports on May 24 inter-district buses and coaches, trains and launches operation resumed on conditions of following health guidelines. The businessmen and owners of buses and launches assured the government of following the health guidelines properly when they will operate public transport services.
If people do not follow the health guidelines,
it would not be possible for the government
alone to bring the situation under control
The government has given permission to resume transport operation and kept open shopping malls, markets and shops in day time properly maintaining health guidelines. But health guidelines are being violated utterly everywhere like in the in vehicles and launches everyday under the very nose of the law enforcement agencies and authorities concerned.
Vehicles are carrying passengers more than half of their seating capacities and realising additional fare than designated one. Besides, people are crowding at shopping malls, markets and shops and other places where there is no sign of maintaining social distancing.
We think if people do not follow the health guidelines during this pandemic situation, it would not be possible for the government alone to bring the situation under control. Therefore, we must wear facemasks and follow health guiltiness in order to contain the spread of Covid-19. Also, relevant authorities will have to intensify their vigilance to compel people, businessmen, traders and transport owners to follow the government directives on social distancing and maintaining health guidelines.