More people, vehicles on Dhaka roads in defiance of lockdown rules

Despite an alarming spike in Covid-19 deaths in Bangladesh, people continue to defy restrictions on movement as a higher number of people and vehicles were seen on the streets in Dhaka on the 5th day of lockdown enforced by the government from April 14 to contain the spread of the virus.

No public transport is available on the roads but the number of private vehicles, rickshaws and auto-rickshaws are higher than the previous days as garment factories, banks and organizations providing emergency services resumed operations on Sunday after weekly holidays.

 Rickshaws are dominating  the roads as the movement of people has increased remarkably.

Police were seen checking movement pass of people on the streets at different points of the capital. 

Members of law enforcement agencies with body camera, which can record any untoward incident, were seen putting up check posts at different parts of the capital.

Meanwhile, pressure of vehicles was seen on Uttara-Banani-Mohakhali road where in some places  police were seen controlling traffic which was absent in the last four days.

Rickshaws and bicycles on a Dhaka road on the fifth day of the nationwide Covid-19 lockdown on Sunday, April 18, 2021 | Syed Zakir Hossain/Dhaka Tribune

 Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Joint Commissioner Traffic (North) Abu Raihan MD Saleh said: “Movement of public transport remained suspended and the law enforcing agencies are continuing regular activities at check-posts. People are seen passing with movement pass. In some cases, people have been facing fines or cases while failing to show any valid reason for leaving home.”

Though shopping malls and shops on main roads remained closed, some grocery stores in residential  areas were allowed to operate for a few hours in the morning to enable people to buy their daily essentials.

A surge in coronavirus cases prompted the government to go for a 8-day complete lockdown from April 14. 

On Saturday, the country recorded 101 deaths  for the second consecutive day and 3,473 new cases.

The complete lockdown will continue till April 21 midnight.