Anyone speeding past the Rainbow Crossing to enter Hatirjheel will see people sitting on footpaths or walkways or road medians. These helpless people huddle together particularly in the areas where there are speed breakers, signals etc because speeding cars slow there. Once these vehicles slow or halt, the hungry people rush to the vehicles and stretch out their hands, tapping the windows. Some lower their glasses and help these hapless men, women and children. But some don’t as they are not deeply moved by the plight of the people who were rendered jobless due coronavirus and the countrywide lockdown.
When asked about so many relief materials of the government, they said they seek relief but are refused as they are not voters of Dhaka. Out of their shanties they came without masks or gloves; to whom, keeping personal distance is a luxury.
Not only the Hatirjheel Lake rather the city dwellers here and there coming out of their dwelling places with the lax lockdown in progress. The city restarts wearing the signature crowded look as reopening of shops and businesses are allowed on condition from May 10 eyeing the biggest Muslim festival Eid-ul-Fitr.
But a section of the society does not hail the decision of reopening of the shops as the coronavirus threat still looms large on the society. This section is scared about thinking of a normalcy in Dhaka as it had been before.
A visit to different areas of the capital yesterday, people were seen out of their houses. From usually crowded Karwan Bazar to elite areas like Gulshan, there is no shortage of people venturing outside their residences. Many of them are trying to protect themselves by using security tools within their means. Again, the minimum interest in healthcare declared by the government is missing in parts of the city. All types of vehicles except public transport were seen plying in the city even causing traffic jams in some places. Human haulers were also seen hauling passengers in some places.
People crowded both the superstores and the stores in their neighborhoods. Despite the government's ban, hawkers have staged a comeback to sidewalks of various roads to sell their merchandises. A disinfectant liquid is now like a golden deer. A small trader at Banasree was seen, sitting on the sidewalk, selling a half liter / one liter bottle of Dettol. However, he is taking more than Tk 50 for each. The small trader Md Akkas said “Now it is not available so I am charging a little more.”
With these vendors presence on the road of D Block of Banasree, the area has turned into marketplace. The reporter saw no dearth of people in the market. Some are enjoying green coconut while some are milling around. Saiful Islam, a university student, said, “As I was bored staying back at home so I have come out, guessing the lockdown relaxed.”
Similar crowds at Tejgaon, Green Road and other areas caught sight of this reporter.
In Gulshan, Baridhara, elite neighborhoods of the capital, many people have come out in private luxury cars amid loose lockdown. There is usually a strict security check at the entrance of Gulshan through Pragati Sarani round the year but it was seen yesterday that two policemen standing at a short distance from the checkpoint.
Sprawling security checkpoints at other places were also not spotted. At the beginning of the lockdown, these police check posts imposed strict surveillance but after the infection of policemen in large number with coronavirus and death of six cops, the scenario changed a lot.
While talking to the reporter a checkpoint at Gulshan, a member of law enforcing agency said, “We are asked to deliver duties carefully staying safe. We are not conducting search unless the vehicle is highly suspected.”
Despite lockdown notices and barricade in the city’s Rampura, Badda, Maghbazar and Tejgaon area, people are venturing outside their homes. Authorities concerned said that people have put up the barricade on their own as local residents are not careful of health crisis. In some cases police have locked down some 15 houses in these areas but local people are not strictly observing the restrictions.
Careless people have been noticed crowding the pharmacies like many grocery stores in different neighborhoods. Visiting a big pharmacy near Ramna Police Station, it is seen that in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic, many shoppers are standing in line for medicines. The same picture has been seen in front of other pharmacies.
No signs of government-imposed social or physical distance were seen in the groceries. That's what the market is doing in this situation.
Maqsood, a resident of Tejgaon area said, “I went out to do some emergency shopping. I came out wearing the necessary safety equipment. But most people are unconscious. Standing in front, sneezing without muffling their mouths in the sleeves. If this happens, then those who are aware will not get much benefit from the restriction. How can I make them aware? So, I return home as soon as I finish my emergency jobs.”
Sometimes people like Masud are caught in troubles in this crisis as some mindless people are coming out of their flats unnecessarily. The city is slowly wearing its signature feature as people started returning to work for survival.
Dhaka wakes up to normalcy certainly with worries of spreading the deadly virus silently or noisily.
hbr/wi/teb
