The seven-day strict lockdown, enforced by the district administration on May 24, has failed to keep residents off the streets amid the upsurge in Covid-19 infections in Chapainawabganj.
Paying no heed to government regulations, people have continued to enter and leave the district from other districts, including Dhaka, over the last four days.
Many day workers have complained that they were forced to leave their homes as work became scarce in villages after the Eid vacations.
However, the infection rate came down to 34% on Sunday from 62% on Wednesday, according to the civil surgeon.
On Saturday, huge Dhaka-bound crowds from Chapainawabganj were seen at the railway station and bus terminal in Rajshahi. Many also waited for hours at the ticket counters at both scenes throughout the day.
Also read- Chapainawabganj goes under 7-day strict lockdown
Most of the commuters were day labourers, among people of other professions.
Many of the travellers were headed to houses of their relatives in nearby districts and upazilas to avoid being infected by Covid-19. However, such mass movement has increased the chances of transmission of the virus in the districts.
Of the 38 Covid-19 deaths Bangladesh recorded between Friday and Saturday mornings, seven had died at Rajshahi Medical College Hospital (RMCH) and two in Chapainawabganj.
Not only that, seven people in Chapainawabganj have tested positive with the Indian Covid-19 variant, even though none of them visited India recently.
Talking to Dhaka Tribune, Civil Surgeon Zahid Nazrul Chowdhury said a total of 82 people had returned to the district from India, of which two people were found to be infected with Covid-19.
He also said quarantine facilities for the infected have been ensured in the district.
Meanwhile, Rajshahi district police spokesman ASP (Sadar) Iftekhar Alam said strict checking continues at check posts set up at Godagari and Tanore areas.
He also urged the public not to go to other districts from Chapainawabganj.
According to the district health authorities, a total of 547 people have died from Covid-19 in the district till Saturday.
At the same time, a total of 34,838 people have been infected, and 31,300 of them have already recovered.
Till Saturday, 191 patients were receiving treatment at RMCH’s Corona Ward and ICU unit. Of them, 94 patients were from Chapainawabganj.
