People keep streaming in and out of Dhaka
People are entering Dhaka on different excuses
Md Monir Hossain and his wife changed buses and pickup vans, and then walked to reach Dhaka on Friday afternoon from Bogura as road and rail connections with the capital city have been cut off to curb the rising Covid-19 infections.
"We changed transports at least five times," said Monir who runs a small business in Mirpur. His wife is a garment factory worker and her employer asked her to join work by Saturday. They set off on the toilsome journey as they want to earn some money before Eid-ul Azha.
Like the couple, people from different walks of life have been entering and leaving Dhaka on foot, motorcycle, rickshaw van, microbus or anything else they can afford as the authorities stopped buses at the city's entry points – Gabtoli, Demra and Abdullahpur. However, flights between Dhaka and other parts of the country are still operating.
Despite restrictions on movement, people were also crossing the Banglabazar-Shimulia ferry terminal to enter Dhaka. From 10am to 12 noon on Friday, our correspondent found the Banglabazar terminal area crowded with Dhaka-bound people coming from different parts of the southern and western districts
Md Iimran Hossain Mollah, assistant commissioner of Demra zone (Traffic) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police told The Business Standard, "Our policemen are working hard on the roads to tackle the mass influx. However, people are desperate and are showing different excuses."
"Most of the people say they have medical emergencies and business issues. That we could not deal with," he added.
Ali Ahmad Khan, superintendent of police, Gazipur Highway region, said they set up checkpoints at the Chandra area of Dhaka-Mymensingh highway.
"We try to check most of the vehicles coming from the northern regions, but we have limitations too. Checking all the vehicles may cause a huge traffic congestion. Sadly, we also have to refrain from goods-laden trucks and covered vans," he added.
Jakir Hossain, a freelance programmer who left Dhaka for Bandarban around five days ago, said he could not return to the city by bus.
"We took a bus from Bandarban to Chattogram. We had to pay for eight seats for four people to maintain social distance. But when we bought air tickets, there were no such guidelines and we boarded a private airlines' flight which was full. Social distancing was ignored completely on the plane," he added.
A number of police officials from the traffic department told TBS that fruit- or vegetable-laden truck drivers from Khulna or Chapainawabganj were not getting tested when they were entering the capital. They might carry the Covid-19 virus too.
Public health specialist Professor Dr Azizur Rahman told TBS, "Offices and businesses are open. People from seven nearby districts are coming to the capital. That is insane. It cannot be termed delinking."
"The domestic flights are operating and carrying people from areas across the country. The strategy of checking only vehicles may not be helpful as people hop out of those at checkpoints, walk past the entry points, and get on metropolitan buses," he added.
He also said critical Covid-19 patients from faraway districts are rushing to Dhaka hospitals, infecting the entire route.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO), Covid-19 infections in Dhaka division have increased by 114% in the seven days from 14 to 20 June compared to the previous week.
Since then, the number of Covid-19 cases identified in Dhaka has increased by 106.65% in just four days (21 June -24 June), shows an analysis of the data from the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
In those four days, 8,770 new Covid-29 cases have been identified in Dhaka division, while in the previous seven days, 8,215 people were identified. Currently, the infection rate in Dhaka city is about 13%.
According to the DGHS, the infection rate was the highest in Dhaka division and the number of daily Covid-19 cases was the highest in the Dhaka city during those four days.
A total of 1,294 Covid-19 cases were identified in Dhaka on 21 June, 1,496 on 22 June, 2,064 on 23 June and 1,572 on 24 June.
According to the WHO report, the highest number of infections were detected in Dhaka and the lowest in Rajshahi from 21 to 24 June.