Lockdown Day 5: Congestion returns, but people’s misery continues 

Traffic congestion was seen at different important intersections in the capital on the fifth day of the seven-day nationwide lockdown amid the dangerous turn of the Covid-19 situation in the country.

Banks, insurance companies, stock brokerage firms and financial institutions are reopening from today after being closed for four consecutive days.

However, due to the restrictions announced by the government, transactions will be limited.

Photo-Joynal Abedin

Compared to the last four days, the pressure of vehicles and people has increased in Dhaka streets presumably for the reopening of banks and other places.

Moreover, private cars, motorcycles and rickshaws are plying the roads unlike the previous days of the ongoing lockdown.

Many pedestrians were seen reaching their respective destinations on foot since morning.

Sarwar Alam, who works in an export-import agency, was walking from Kafrul to his office in Paltan.

He told TBS that the raw material export agency is no longer under lockdown restrictions, but as there are no buses on the road, he had to walk. "Now, a rickshaw from Kafrul to Paltan costs Tk300-350, but my daily income is not that much."

Elsewhere, Saudi expatriate Siddiqur Rahman had come to Dhaka from Feni to collect his airplane tickets.

He said, "I had to pay Tk 7,000 to rent a car to come to Dhaka, and there is no end to the suffering on the way.

"The government has suspended public transport and imposed a strict lockdown, and on the other hand, it has caused us extreme suffering by keeping international flights open," he added.

Besides, many low-income people, especially day labourers, have been seen sitting on the side of the road waiting for work.

Motaleb Hossain, a construction worker, told TBS, "I am unemployed as there is no work amid lockdown and there is no food at home, so I have been waiting since morning to get work."

Rickshaws are plying the capital as there are no public transports on the roads, but lack of passengers have hurt rickshaw-pullers' income.

Meanwhile, shopping malls and big markets of the capital were closed in the lockdown today, but small shops and kitchen markets in lanes and small areas were found open ignoring hygiene rules and social distancing.  

Members of law enforcement agencies were found active in Kawran Bazar intersection, Bangla Motor, Shahbag areas.

Checkposts have been set up in a few places and checking is being done from time to time.

In this regard, Ramna Zone Traffic Sergeant Morshedul Islam told TBS, "We have set up checkposts at various places and are asking people why they have come out from their house.

"We are taking action against those who fail to show logical reasons," he added.

The National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 on Sunday extended the ongoing strict lockdown restrictions by one more week to curb infections.

Earlier on 24 June, the National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 recommended imposing a 14-day all-out shutdown across the country to contain the worsening Covid-19 situation.

On Wednesday, the Cabinet Division issued a gazette notification imposing a number of rules and regulations as part of the lockdown measure from 1-7 July.

Amid lockdown, Bangladesh on Sunday reported its highest daily deaths from coronavirus since the pandemic hit the country more than 15 months ago.

This is for the eighth consecutive day that the country recorded over 100 deaths from the virus, and the Khulna division for the ninth consecutive day witnessed the highest number of deaths, as 51 more people died there.