As the decision to suspend long-haul bus services from and to Dhaka city came late in the night on Monday amid a strict lockdown imposed in seven nearby districts, passengers intending to enter and leave the capital suffered immensely yesterday.
This happened mainly because most of the people had not been updated on the decision, leading to a regular rush at the Gabtoli, Mohakhali, Syedabad and Abdullahpur bus terminals since yesterday—but to no avail as no long-haul buses departed from there.
They turned up there to catch buses to reach their destinations.
It was noticed that a number of them returned home after a long wait and some others were still seen looking for alternative vehicles to move to their destinations.
Meanwhile, law enforcers barred and diverted the vehicles that came from outside the city by setting up check-posts at Dhaka's adjacent areas. Countless numbers of passengers were dropped off before the Gabtoli bridge at the inter-district bus terminal and Amin Bazar bus stop yesterday morning.
This apart, traffic came to a grinding halt between Gabtoli and Hemayetpur of Gazipur as vehicles were denied entry into Dhaka city, with a heavy downpour adding to the woes of people.
However, vehicles for emergency service were allowed to pass through.
The lockdown imposed to help contain transmission amid rising coronavirus infection as a wave of Covid-19 from the border districts, believed to be caused by the Indian (Delta) variant, appears to be heading towards the capital—something the health minister warned of previously.
The districts that were brought under the curbs are Manikganj, Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Gazipur, Madaripur, Rajbari and Gopalganj.
Passengers’ miseries
Rabiul Alam, a banker who was returning from Panchagarh, said he was heading towards Dhaka—but police forced him to get off the bus he was aboard before Gabtoli bridge despite the rain in the morning.
“I knew nothing about the transport ban until this morning. I’m now waiting to get a vehicle for my home at Azimpur first and then to the office,” Rabiul said.
He was supposed to join his office after being on leave.
Kidney patient Kalim Ullah was waiting near the Tongi bridge area amid rain, after coming all the way from the Bason Sorok area of Gazipur. He had to change at least three local transports before he was finally dropped off in Tongi.
His son Ahsan Ullah said: “I’ve been trying for half an hour to manage a vehicle to take my father to Ganashasthya Nagar Hospital for dialysis—but in vain.”
Ambia Khatun came to Gabtoli terminal to catch a bus for Magura. “I only came to know that buses were suspended after arriving at the terminal,” she said while waiting like many others, who were unsure of what to do next.
However, many people were found crossing the Gabtoli bridge on foot to go to Amin Bazar to check if there were any transport options available.
At Mohakhali terminal, Chan Mia, vice-president of Dhaka District Bus-Minibus Road Transport Workers Union, said: “Long distance buses leaving from Mohakhali terminal need to pass through the district which are under restriction. So the long-haul buses are not leaving from Dhaka. Many passengers have been returning since morning without getting a bus.”
Scene outside Dhaka
Our local correspondents reported that Gazipur- and Dhaka-bound buses were barred at the Joinabazar U-turn in Gazipur’s Sreepur upazila.
Dhaka-bound vehicles coming from Comilla were stopped at the Daudkandi toll plaza due to the strict restrictions in Munshiganj and Narayanganj. As a result, the Meghna and Gumti bridges witnessed traffic congestion.
Suvenkar Ghosh, joint secretary of Bangladesh Bus-Truck Owners' Association, said: “The government instruction came in late last night. So, many drivers and commuters were not aware of it, leading to their sufferings.”
Law enforcers diverted buses before they reached the Amin Bazar bridge. Bus services from Savar to various destinations in Dhaka city are suspended.
Additional Commissioner (Traffic) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Munibur Rahman said: “Public transports from other districts are being diverted due to the lockdown. They are not being allowed to enter Dhaka.”
Vessel passengers suffer too
The Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) also announced its decision to suspend the movement of launches, speedboats and trawlers from yesterday.
Many passengers were seen waiting for vessels to carry them to the Sadarghat launch terminal yesterday afternoon. But a good number of them returned immediately after learning about the decision.
Taslima Begum said: “I came from Savar to go to Barguna. But I have just come to know about the suspension of vessel services. So, I have no choice but to return home.”
Now train services suspended
The authorities have suspended passenger train services from and to Dhaka till June 30 in a bid to contain the spread of Covid-19 cases.
Bangladesh Railway Additional Director General (operations) Sardar Sahadat Ali confirmed the matter to Dhaka Tribune.