The sufferings of city dwellers reached a peak on the second day of the latest 72-hour blockade programme enforced by the opposition alliance yesterday.
People who ventured onto the streets of Dhaka in defiance of the risk of vandalism and arson attacks faced an acute shortage of public transport. Like the first day, the roads were almost empty of vehicles.
Although several bus counters remained open at Sayedabad and Gabtoli terminals, no bus left from the capital on the long distance routes.
The staffs who are paid on a daily basis said they had no other option but to depart on the highways at night. Drivers said they were compelled to bring out the buses in a desperate bid for earnings.
A good number of day labourers were seen thronging the capital’s Mohakhali, Karwan Bazar, Azimpur, Uttara and Amin Bazar area in the faint hope of being hired for the day.
“We are left with two choices: either we stay at home and starve, or we get going to earn for the day,” said Md Rafique, the driver of a human hauler.
A number of commuters, transport drivers, and day labourers said they had seen the arson attacks, vandalism and explosions by pro-blockade activists on television in the last few days and they feared they could become the next victims, but they had no alternatives but to keep on plying their businesses.
“I have a six-member family to look after of whom three are students. Usually I stay at home during hartal and blockades to stay safe but this time the programmes are lingering chronologically,” said Mukid Sheikh, a CNG-run auto-rickshaw driver. He said his income fell by half during the blockade.
Many passengers at the Gabtoli bus terminal were found hiring human haulers, CNG-run auto-rickshaws and tempos. They said they might have to change the small vehicles several times to reach destinations. The same scenario prevailed at Mohakhali Bus Terminal.
A staff at the Rajlaxmi Paribahan counter said they would set off one or two Barisal-bound buses in the evening if the situation seemed better.
The Sadarghat launch terminal was found almost empty.
Saiful Haque Khan, senior deputy director of Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority, said the number of incoming and outgoing vessels declined for lack of passengers yesterday.
“Although the law and order situation seems okay here, passengers are not pouring in as expected,” he said.