Arifur Rahman Rabbi
Public transport went off the street and offices, businesses remained closed as Bangladesh passed the first day of a week-long “strict lockdown” in silence on Wednesday to halt the spread of the COVID-19 outbreak amid a sharp rise in cases.
The beginning of the fresh restrictions, which became effective at 6:00 am, coincided with the Pahela Boisakh celebration and the first day of Ramadan, leaving a very thin crowd on the streets in the capital Dhaka and elsewhere in the country.
Police headquarters said they have issued 2, 50,000 movement pass till 7:00 pm on the first day of the lockdown as 3.10 lakh people registered for the pass.
In every minute, there was 21,337 hits on Bangladesh Police’s mobile app Police Movement Pass for a ‘hassle free' movement during the blanket lockdown.
Police earlier set up check posts at different points in Dhaka to prevent people from moving out without an urgent need.
Those, who came out for emergency works, struggled to get transports as there was no public transport available on the streets.
Rikshaws were there but only a few in numbers.
Around 8:30 am in the Malibagh area, a youth named Abu Bakkar was seen looking for transport.
Bakar identified himself as a supplier of sand and rock in the Metro rail project. He wanted to go to the Baribadh area for this purpose but he did not find any transport.
A hotel worker named Md Humayun walked up to the Mouchak market area from Fakirerpul to meet his friend. Humayun said he wanted to take this opportunity as his hotel is closed due to lockdown.
Humayun did not carry any movement pass police introduced for people to use in emergency need as he said he was unaware of the matter.
Police were seen stopping a car and motorcycle at the Mogbazar area around 8:45 am. A traffic sergeant fined a CNG-run auto-rickshaw for moving out without any valid reason.
“Road is almost empty. Some private cars and motorcycles came out for their emergency. We talked to them and if we found a valid reason, we let them go. If there was no valid reason we imposed a fine,” traffic sergeant Nahidur Rahman told The Business Post.
A doctor, who identified her as Sadia, was seen fixing a rickshaw as she needed to go to her workplace in Azimpur.
The rickshaw puller wanted double the fare than the normal time and after standing for a while she had to agree.
Around the same time at the same spot, fruit vendor Ishan Sinha said he came out only to see the lockdown as he had no emergency.
A quick visit around 9:15 am at Karwan Bazar kitchen market, which was allowed to stay open, showed an appalling scenario as both buyers and sellers hardly paid any attention to following the hygiene rules.
Most of them had no mask on their faces while the few had one they left it only hanging in the cheek.
Eggplant trader Md Abdullah said he came here to do business at the urge of his stomach.
Asked why he didn't have a mask, he replied, "It was a while ago, but I lost it.”
Another vendor sitting next to Abdullah was smiling at his condition. He said he had a mask. But he kept it down to his mouth.
Asked why he kept his mask down to his mouth, the vegetable seller did not reply and put up his mask on his face.
Around 9:40 am in the Motijheel area there was an eerie silence ass most offices were seen closed and almost no crowd on the street.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police Deputy Commissioner Syed Nurul Islam, who was leading a police vigilance team at a check post in the area, said they allowed people to move if there was a valid reason.
“Ordinary people will move if they need to move. Movement pass will work as a supportive measure. We also try to understand the rationale for those who do not have movement pass,” he said.
All public transports, including domestic and international flights, will be suspended while markets and shopping malls will remain closed during the restriction period.
The offices of all public, private and autonomous bodies will also remain closed during this period.
Industries and factories have been allowed to operate, complying strictly with the health guidelines.
Authorities on Tuesday announced that banks and bourses will remain open for a limited period of time during the lockdown.
Emergency services, naval, air and seaports were also kept out of the purview of the lockdown, which would end on April 21 at midnight.
The Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh said special flights would carry Bangladeshi migrants to four Middle East countries- Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar - as well as Singapore amid strict lockdown.
arr/am
