Reza Mahmud :
People from the lower income group worried over their livelihood as the government announced nationwide strict lockdown for seven days from Monday.
The people think the restriction may be extended several times if the contaminations are not curb as like the previous practices.
The government on Friday announced the nationwide lockdown following the recommendation of it from the National Technical Advisory Committee on Covid-19 as the pandemic situation deteriorating.
The infection rate is climbing up wards day by day.
On Saturday, the infection rate reached 22.50 percent while it was 21.22 pc on Friday and was 19.93 pc on Thursday.
Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Saturday said in his Manikgonj residence that the government has announced lockdown because there is no choice to curb the elevating spreading.
On the fear of workless situation, a large portion of lower income group people have left cities like Dhaka and Chittagong after announcing the strict restriction.
Meanwhile, lots of people from the poorer are still staying in cities who have no way to live in both village or in city in the restriction periods.
Those people become a factor on keeping the lockdown fruitful or not, experts said.
Experts think if those poorer people come out in streets for their livelihood, the restriction must have lost its efficiency.
They think the hungry men might come out streets for pulling rickshaws or to sell several products as street vendors to earn money to provide their families.
In such cases, contamination may take place.
Public health experts worried about mass breaching incidents in streets may make the efforts of containing the spreading of the fatal virus failed.
On the other hand, the people from the lower income group said if they get relief from the government, they can stay home.
“I am a rickshaw puller. I have to provide food in my family of six members. In the period of restriction the whole family have to stay hungry for lack of food,” said Ratan Mia, from Jurain area.
He said, “I have to bound go to street with my rickshaw to provide my family as I cannot bear my kids hungry faces.”
Many people like Ratan Mia are also expressed similarly.
“If we stay home, who would feed us? We cannot die for lack of food, I must go to rail station or elsewhere to sell my ground nuts,” said a street vendor from Gandaria Railway station.
Public health experts suggested the government to arrange food for the poor people to make the restriction fruitful.
When contacted, Professor Dr. M. Muzaherul Huq, former Advisor of the World Health Organisation told The New Nation on Saturday, “One thing is important that millions of day labourers depend on their daily earning. There are a substantial number of poverty stricken people too both in villages, townships and cities. Government must arrange feeding them three meals. Ward wise food must be ensured for them. It can be cooked or prepared food.”
The needy people must be fed as they will have no earning for them and their families, so they can break the restrictions, which make the process vulnerable, he added.
