Mahrufa Islam, a banker, was seen on the roof of her building in Dhaka with her children Monday afternoon. She said it had been a long time since she last went up there.
"With an indefinite curfew going on, there is no way to outside. There isn't the scope for many recreational activities indoors, and my children are getting bored with watching TV all day," she said.
'We have never seen a curfew before'The roof is one of the few ways that she can now get a glimpse outside flat, the four walls of which are looking increasingly like the bars of a cage to her.
Like Mahrufa, many people are looking for alternative ways to pass their time during the ongoing curfew. While some groups of people were seen gossiping in alleys and side roads, the roof is the main escape and source of fresh air for those who are observing the curfew strictly out of fear for their safety.
Dhaka roads see increased traffic as offices, banks reopenThe last time so many people were seen taking to the roofs for reaction was during the Covid-19 lockdown. Many teenage boys have been seen flying kites, playing cricket or football.
Muntassir Islam, a ninth grader, said that as he is not being allowed to go outside due to the curfew, he went to the roof to play cricket along with his friends.
"Staying indoors is becoming suffocating. Going to the roof is the only way to refresh myself," he added.
