Public stuck between ‘lockdown’ and work
Immense public sufferings in the capital marked the first day of restrictions enforced by the government to curb the spread of coronavirus infections.
As all forms of public transport except rickshaws were suspended while keeping all public and private offices open, employees of the offices, companies and factories were left stranded.
In some places of the capital, office-goers demonstrated against the lack of public transport.
At the same time, rickshaws and private vehicles were seen dominating Dhaka streets, which created traffic congestion in various parts of the capital, leaving commuters stuck on roads.
The alarming surge in Covid-19 cases and deaths caused by highly transmittable Delta variant prompted the government to announce the three-day strict restrictions ahead of an all-out lockdown from July 1.
As per Sunday's gazette on the three-day restrictions, all forms of public transport except rickshaws will be off the road. Government and private offices may remain open with only essential staff. Shopping malls, markets, tourism centres, resorts, community and recreation centres will remain closed.
Yesterday morning, hundreds of people -- mainly office-goers -- were seen standing by the roads in different parts of the city, waiting for vehicles. After waiting on the road for an hour or two, many started walking in groups.
Many were seen approaching drivers of covered vans and private car and microbuses -- asking to drop them off to their workplaces. They were boarding whatever vehicles that agreed to take them, overlooking health safety rules.
During the office hour, the number of rickshaws and auto-rickshaws was far fewer than the demand. Taking advantage, drivers were charging extra. Motorbikers were also charging exorbitant fares to drop people off.
"It's a lockdown for the rich people. The government didn't think for us. How could they allow offices to operate, shutting down public transport?" said an exasperated Kaniz Sultana, an employee of private company in Motijheel.
Sanwar Hossain, another office goer, boarded a rickshaw from Mohammadpur to Motijheel for Tk 300.
"What should we do? There is no vehicle available, but I have to go to office. The rickshaw-pullers are charging double or thrice," he said.
Awlad Hossain, who works at a Tongi factory, was waiting at Bashabo since 7:20am, but was yet to get a vehicle till 9am.
"I'm already late; I don't know whether my office will excuse this," he said.
Monir Hossain, from the capital's Mirpur, came out of home with his four-year-old child, to take her to Dhaka Shishu Hospital in Sher-e-Bangla Nagar, in the morning. Getting no vehicle for an hour, he walked up to Darus Salam area.
"It's an emergency to take my child to a doctor. This suffering on the road added salt to the scar," he said.
Kamrul, an office-goer who was waiting at Farmgate, said, "Such a restriction by the government will only increase the chance of coronavirus transmission."
Meanwhile in Matuail area of Jatrabari, hundreds of office-goers blocked the Dhaka-Chattogram Highway around 8:30am for an hour, in protest against public transport crisis.
On the contrary, many streets in the capital -- like Airport road and Rampura -- saw a lot of private cars in the morning and subsequent traffic congestion.
Police were seen stopping vehicles and quizzing drivers and passengers randomly at various points. In some places, police stopped CNG-run auto-rickshaws and fined motorbikes with pillions.
"We are allowing private cars with one or two passengers. However, we are not allowing motorbikes with passengers," said Altaf Hossain, a traffic police inspector on duty at Farmgate.
Meanwhile, many people -- mostly from low-income groups -- yesterday left the capital by boarding pick-ups, microbuses, cars and motorbikes to go back to their village homes.
Abul Hossain, a construction worker, said he was going to his hometown of Bogura as he has no work now. He availed a microbus from Amin Bazar, with 11 others, packed inside the vehicle.
"If the lockdown is extended till the Eid, I would have no work here. So I am leaving Dhaka…," he said.
The flow of people leaving town began on Saturday after the announcement of complete lockdown.
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