Lockdown day 7: People continue roaming Dhaka streets

Despite a sharp increase in Covid-19 infections and deaths in the country, many people continue to roam around the capital violating the strict lockdown measures imposed to curb the spread of the virus.  

Iftekhairul Islam, additional deputy commissioner of Dhaka Metropolitan Police said they were taking legal action against the lockdown violators to control unnecessary movement. Police arrested 1,102 people on Wednesday for violating the lockdown rules. 

The law enforcement agencies arrested 4,187 people during the lockdown in the last seven days and fined individuals around Tk80 lakh for violating the restrictions. But still the movements of a large number of people could not be controlled. 

The number of transports and people has been increasing on roads in the capital every day as many private offices, including banks, are open.

Meanwhile, crowds visiting local shops and moving in and around residential areas escalated on the seventh day of lockdown on Wednesday. 

Traffic jams were seen in some of the city's main intersections like Science Lab, Bata Signal, Katabon, Shahbag and Bangla Motor areas.

The law enforcers were seen busy controlling traffic as a huge number of cars, motorcycles and rickshaws were seen plying on the roads."

Photo :TBS

People on roads on various excuses

"I went out to buy food for my pet rabbit. I did not get out in the past few days, but saw many people roaming on the roads today," said Anwar Hossain, a resident of New Elephant Road.

Sifat, a college student, said, "Police do not check bicycles, so I am going to meet my friends at the Dhanmondi Lake riding on my cycle."

Tea vendor Latifur Rahman said, "Since there are so many people on the road, the police cannot keep an eye on us."

Many people on the streets were not wearing masks or they hanged it on their chins. If they got caught by the police, they showed different excuses.

Traffic Sergeant (Ramna Zone) Jahangir Alam said, "People are avoiding the mobile courts and police in various ways as they have been warned of jail and fines. They are going outside without any emergency."

Photo :TBS

Many people were also seen suffering from a lack of public transport.

Alamgir Hossain, who came to see a patient at the Dhaka Medical College Hospital from Aminbazar, had to change rickshaws several times to get there.

"All kinds of vehicles are on the road except public buses. Is this lockdown only to increase the sufferings of low-income people?" asked Alamgir.

Another passenger on a rickshaw, Abdul Qader said, "Lockdown is for the poor. The government is making the poor suffer by halting the public buses but the rich are driving their cars on the empty streets comfortably.