Home ›› 30 Jul 2021 ›› Front
Dhaka’s streets, that wore deserted looks at the beginning of the two-week virus lockdown starting on July 23, are gradually being filled up as more people are coming out defying movement restrictions.
A good number of rickshaws, auto-rickshaws, private cars and trucks were seen on the streets on Thursday. The number of rickshaws was higher than other vehicles. People prefer rickshaws for travelling during the lockdown as passenger vehicles are off the road.
A rise in coronavirus cases and deaths in recent weeks prompted the government to go for a strict countrywide lockdown to contain the spread of the virus. People have remained reluctant to follow health guidelines even as the number of daily infections shot past 16,000.
The local death tally has crossed 20,000-mark and the caseload shot past 1.2 million.
On Thursday, vehicles were seen in Mirpur, Gabtoli, Shyamoli, Mohammadpur, Asadgate, Tejgaon, Mohakhali and other areas even as law enforcers set up check posts at various points in the capital.
Legal actions fail to deter people
Sergeant Md Nur E Alam Khan at Mirpur Technical Area said the number of vehicles increased on
Thursday compared to the last few days. “We are trying to stop every vehicle. We’re filing cases if people fail to give us valid reasons,” he told The Business Post.
Although a large number of people have been fined for violating movement restrictions, people continue to come out of their houses even if there’s no emergency. On Wednesday,
police arrested 562 people for defying Covid restrictions and violating health guidelines in the capital. On the same day, mobile courts fined 208
people Tk 1.61 lakh while DMP’s traffic division fined 489 vehicles Tk 11.33 lakh.
“The people are giving various excuses. Many said they have no food at home, so they came out in search of work,” Sergeant Khan said.
Sergeant Durjoy Hasan of Mohammadpur traffic zone said most of commuters told them that they were going to hospitals, offices, vaccination centres and official reasons.
He said they fined people over Tk 10,000 until Thursday noon for defying lockdown restrictions.
‘No other way’
Professor Kazi Kamruzzaman, chairman of Dhaka Community Hospital Trust, said that the poor people are not getting stimulus incentives properly amid the lockdown.
“A large number of poor people are coming out of their homes because they don’t have food to feed their families,” he told The Business Post.
Sharafuddin Ahmed Santu, a day labourer in Shyamoli area, said he could not find any job during the strict lockdown.
“My family is going hungry. Of course I’ll come out and look for work,” he said.
Dulal Mia, a rickshaw puller at Asadgate area said he was more concerned with arranging food for his family than the virus.
“I could not earn enough amid the lockdown. I have no choice but to come out with my rickshaw even if the Covid situation is worsening,” he said.
