Law enforcement agencies say that they are trying to impose restrictions on public movement and convince people to abide by the laws during public holidays to contain the spread of coronavirus across the country. But a number of people, who are ignoring the restrictions, are putting the lives of other people at risk.
Keeping people at home would soon become impossible if this trend continues. Anyone can think that relaxed implementation of shutdown restrictions encourages people to be stayed relaxed too. But the matter is not so easy at all.
Each day the number of restricted areas and isolated buildings is increasing with the increase of duty of law enforcers. With limited protection, the law enforcement agency members are working tirelessly. Around 100 policemen have already been sent into quarantine or isolation.
But people are still coming out and making crowd, disobeying mandatory social distance in alleyways and bazaars, posing a high risk for many others. We believe all these are not negligence of people.
Despite different initiatives taken by government from the very first time, many people still have no other way but to go out for earning the livelihood for him and his family members. It’s not a small issue.
On contrary, the relief activities are not wide enough to include them who are in need. Even yesterday, several thousand people came out of their houses to get some relief items in different parts of the capital, including Mirpur. Several hundred stranded Bihahris came out of the camp yesterday morning and blocked road at Pallabi demanding food. No government can alone resist the pandemic if the people are not helpful.
The government seems not to understand that at gun point the people can be forced to die without food and other daily necessities of life if not supplied at the door. How incompetent a government can be not to understand how desperate the people can be to live with their family members?
We had knowledge about the spread of pandemic like wild fire all over the world as early as in January. The government, in particular, the ministry of health, must have been sleeping and later started using police and army to keep people confined without using the common sense about the urgent day to day need of the people who lost their source of income.
These people are not so lucky as the ministers and government officials who get their salaries including extra benefits from public fund no matter what they do or not do for the people.
Lockdown cannot be the solution to the problems being created by the disastrous disease. It is essential for the people to be assured that there is a healthcare system that works to save their lives if affected.
Corruption and incompetence still continue. Ineffective test kits and face masks were provided for illegal gains. There is poor supply of ventilators and no safety gear for the doctors and nurses. As a result a large number of doctors and nurses who were in the front line for saving life of others lost their lives.
