The government has enforced a fresh strict lockdown for eight days from Wednesday in an effort to stop the spread of the deadly coronavirus.
Since morning, police checkpoints were seen set up at almost every major intersection in Dhaka city. City roads and important throughfare remained mostly empty.
Only people with emergency work were seen travelling on the streets.
Under the fresh lockdown all government, semi-government, autonomous, private offices and financial institutions will remain closed but the officers and employees will have to stay in their respective work stations.
The Cabinet division issued a notification in this regard on Monday. The lockdown will remain in force from 6:00 am Wednesday (April 14) till April 21 midnight.
But the employees and staff of air, maritime and river and land ports will remain out of the preview of the lockdown, adds UNB.
Police stand alert at a checkpoint in front of the Notre Dame College in Dhaka's Motijheel area on Wednesday, April 14, 2020 Mehedi Hasan/Dhaka Tribune
All modes of public transports, including those of road, river, railway and air, will remain suspended during the lockdown. But Emergency services, carrying of goods, production services will remain out of the purview of the restriction.
However, the restriction will not be effective in the case of carrying goods, emergency services and production. But industries and factories will remain open on condition of maintaining health protocols.
Dhaka wears a deserted look with almost no traffic on the first day of the eight day lockdown that began on Wednesday | Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka TribuneThe offices, staffers and vehicles of the organisations providing emergency services, including law enforcement, agricultural products (fertilizer, seeds, pesticides, machineries), crops, food laden vehicles, relief distribution, health services, health workers involved in mass inoculation, power, water, gas, fire services, port activities, media (print and electronic media), private security management, telephone, and postal services will remain out of the purview of the restriction.
People’s movement will be restricted and no one will be allowed to go outside except for emergency needs (to purchase medicines, daily essentials, to take medical services and burial/ cremation of dead bodies, taking Covid-19 jabs etc).
Factories, industries to operate
All industries and factories will be allowed to continue their operation following health guidelines and the respective industries must take measures to carry their employees in their own vehicles.
Police fine motorcyclists for being outside without a logical, valid reason on Wednesday, April 14, 2021 | Mahmud Hossain Opu/Dhaka Tribune
Hotels and restaurants to remain open
Hotels and restaurants can operate with takeaway/online services only from 12pm to 7pm and 12am to 6am. No one will be allowed to have food sitting in hotels or restaurants.
All shopping malls and markets will remain closed during this period.
Daily essential items including kitchen items can be sold and purchased from open spaces from 9am to 3pm to maintain health protocols. Local administrations and the authorities concerned will ensure it.