Syed Shemul Parvez :
Lockdown is reportedly deadly in seven neighboring districts of the capital city and it needs to be controlled on urgent basis.
As a result, transport owners have announced the closure of long-distance bus services. But, the people are not respecting it. They are still violating the lockdown restrictions.
It was seen on the spot that hundreds of people are entering and leaving the capital city to respond to their necessities, forgetting greater interests.
All the passengers are going to their destinations by small vehicles like motor bikes, CNG autorickshaws and private cars paying several times higher fare.
It is due to the lockdown, the public transports are not on the roads and therefore children and the elderly persons are suffering more.
Ignoring the recommendations of the health department, the ordinary people are coming to Dhaka every day.
Visiting Gabtoli, an entry route to Dhaka, it was noticed that hundreds of people are entering Dhaka by many small vehicles including motor bikes, CNG autorickshaws and private cars.
Besides, many people were seen leaving Dhaka from Gabtoli Bus Terminal by private cars, microbus.
On the other hand, most of the passengers are not aware of the horror of corona.
Though some passengers wear masks, they do not do it correctly and the social distance is neglected greatly.
Razu Miah, a Khulna bound passenger said, “I live in Lalbagh area. I need to go to my native village due to an emergency work. But, there are no long-distance transports due to lockdown. I heard that people are leaving capital city through the Gabtoli route. That’s why I have come here.
Wishing anonymity, a police officer deployed in the area said, thousands of people are arriving in Dhaka from other parts of the country.
Besides, people are also leaving Dhaka. We are trying our best to stop them. But, general people are not paying heed to any kinds of restriction.
Meanwhile, The National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 has recommended a 14-day complete shutdown across the country to contain the worsening Covid-19 situations.
In a press release, the committee said the rapid transmissions won’t stop without strict shutdown which has been proven in other countries, mainly in neighboring India.
Earlier on June 21, as Covid-19 deaths and infections continue to rise, the government aims at enforcing the ongoing restrictions in seven districts around Dhaka more strictly to guard the capital against the virus.
