A rush of Eid holidaymakers returning to Dhaka ahead of the strict lockdown starting on Friday clogged the Dhaka-Mymensingh and Dhaka-Tangail highways on Thursday.
A large number of people going to their village homes worsened the traffic situation.
Worryingly, from passengers to transport workers, nobody seemed to care about the health norms amid a surge in Covid-19 cases and deaths.
The rush of vehicles started to escalate in the morning, hours before the resumption of the countrywide strict lockdown on Friday – after an eight-day relaxation of the Covid curbs.
Visiting several spots of the two highways, it was found that most of the vehicles were carrying passengers more than half of their capacity while the size of goods-laden transports was slimmer compared to the pre-Eid rush.
The bus stoppages along the highways were seen packed with passengers waiting for transports. Additionally, there were crowds out there on an outing.
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Sohagh Miah, a private job-holder waiting with his wife for a ride to Netrakona at the Bagher Bazar bus stand in Gazipur, said that he could not go to his village home before Eid due to the immense pressure of passengers and traffic gridlock.
Cashing in on the rush of passengers, transport workers and drivers were charging much higher than usual.
Apparel worker Sagar Hossain, who was heading towards Chandana from Konabari to visit his elder brother, said that he had to pay double the usual fare.
Koli Begum, a housewife from Sreepur upazila of Gazipur, faced the same issue.
Saidul Islam, driver of Taqwa Paribahan bus company, said that they had incurred serious losses during the last spell of strict lockdown.
“So, we’re now charging a little higher,” he admitted, without commenting on the violation of the health rules.
Mawna Highway Police Officer-in-Charge Kamal Hossain, attesting to the situation, said that they had been trying their best to ensure health guidelines as directed by the health authorities.
“But we received no complaints about charging an extra fare. If reported, we’ll take necessary measures,” he added.
On July 13, the government decided to ease the lockdown restrictions in the country for eight days due to Eid-ul-Azha. The lockdown restrictions were lifted a day later.
State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain on Thursday said that the new lockdown would be stricter than the one imposed last time. Members of the police, the Bangladesh Border Guard and the army will patrol the streets to enforce the restrictions.
