Second day of lockdown sees more people, lax monitoring
Although there were not that many people and only a handful of vehicles or rickshaws on roads on the first day of the countrywide seven-day "strict lockdown" on Wednesday, the scenario quickly changed yesterday.
A good number of people as well as vehicles were seen on roads while monitoring by law enforcers was lax in many areas, according to reports from our correspondents.
Rickshaws and private cars dominated the streets in absence of public transport.
CHATTOGRAM
While visiting different areas including Bahaddarhat, Muradpur, Sholashahar Gate-2, Prabarttak Intersection, Mehedibagh, Gol Pahar Intersection, GEC Intersection, Chawkbazar and Jamal Khan Road of port city, people were seen crowding on the street.
Asked, they said they came out of home for emergency purposes.
In some areas, police were seen asking people for "movement pass".
Titu Biswas was seen bargaining with a rickshaw-puller over fare as he wanted to go to Gol Pahar Intersection from Chawkbazar to tend to his brother who was undergoing treatment at a private hospital.
"My elder brother had a heart attack and has been undergoing treatment at a clinic. My sister-in-law stayed with him at night and now I'm going there," Titu said.
Asked if he had a pass, Titu said he tried but could not manage one. "If police ask me, I will explain to them my reason for going out."
In Muradpur area, police were seen asking people for passes. Most did not have it. Some were told to return back while others were allowed to go on as they were able to convince law enforcers of their "emergencies".
At Double Mooring, police vigilance was not seen in many areas. People were seen moving freely either on foot or by rickshaws or private vehicles. Lax monitoring was also seen in Kotwali area.
Additional district magistrate Sumani Akter said 10 mobile courts of the district administration were in different areas of the city since Wednesday.
Asked about the increasing number of people on roads, she said, "We are trying our best but if people are not aware, it is hard to monitor every area with limited manpower."
BARISHAL
Rickshaws dominated the streets of Barishal city yesterday.
Most shops and markets were closed but kitchen and wholesale markets remained opened and crowded.
Hawkers and vendors occupied the sidewalks while people rushed in to purchase food items in the afternoon. People were seen gathering in areas including Bazar Road, Falpatti, Port Road and Girja Mahalla throughout the day.
Monir, a hawker, said, "How can we survive if we do not sell our products?"
Fruit seller Ganesh Dutta echoed him. "This is the season of watermelon. If we cannot sell, the fruit will rot."
Due to restrictions on roads, many traveled by trawlers, according to sources at waterways.
Police were seen checking vehicles and trucks at the entrances of the city at Barisal University Zeropoint, Chaumatha, Goriar Par and Kalijira areas.
Rumana Afroz and Angk Maching Marma, executive magistrates of the district administration, yesterday fined 10 people Tk 2,220 for violating health rules during the lockdown.
RAJSHAHI
On the second day, there was an increase in the presence of people on the city streets.
Almost all types of shops, malls remained closed except pharmacies and shops for daily essentials.
Presence of law enforcers was seen at major city points, implementing the restriction.
Though only one person was allowed to travel on a rickshaw on Wednesday, it was different yesterday. This correspondent at times saw more than two persons on a rickshaw, who were stopped by law enforcers then allowed to go.
Aminul Islam, a job holder, said the government instructed all the offices to manage transport for employees, but their office did not do so. "So, we are trying every possible way to reach office."
In absence of public transport, many passengers said rickshaw-pullers were charging almost double the usual fare.
As a result, a good number of people were seen walking towards their destination in the morning. They were being stopped and questioned at different police checkpoints.
Asked, Kawsar Hamid, assistant commissioner and executive magistrate of Rajshahi, said, "Many are coming out of their home defying lockdown rules… We're trying to create awareness rather than just fining them."
Golam Ruhul Kuddus, additional deputy commissioner of Rajshahi Metropolitan Police, said, check posts have been set up in major parts of the city from the first day to control movement.
KHULNA
Even with the law enforcers' vigilance, people were seen roaming the streets without movement passes.
On the first and second day of the lockdown in Khulna, 132 persons were fined Tk 75,200.
The drives were conducted by the district administration magistrates under supervision of Khulna district Deputy Commissioner Mohammad Helal Hossain.
According to Khulna district administration, 85 persons -- 37 in Khulna city and 48 in nine upazilas -- were fined Tk 54,500 on Wednesday. Yesterday, 53 people were fined Tk 17,700.
Yusuf Ali, additional district magistrate of Khulna, said they were trying to conduct mobile court drives from dawn to dusk to control people's random movement.
"Apart from this, we are telling people to wear masks and follow health guidelines," he informed.
RANGPUR/DINAJPUR/JOYPURHAT
The second day of the lockdown was observed quite moderately in Rangpur, Dinajpur and Joypurhat districts.
There was less movement of people but presence of three-wheelers, motorcycles, goods loaded trucks and private cars was visible on the streets.
Most shops, markets in Dinajpur and Joypurhat and shopping complexes in Rangpur remained closed. The kitchen market of Bahadur Bazar was shifted to Boromath in Dinajpur town.
Police were seen busy controlling traffic in Dinajpur and Joypurhat districts.
Restaurants remained opened from noon to 6pm.
GAZIPUR
Compared to the first day, more people crowded the streets of Gazipur yesterday.
Mobile courts had a busy day as they fined several businesspersons for keeping their shops open in Sreepur while conducting drives at shopping centres in Chowrasta area.
Sreepur UNO Taslima Mostari, also executive magistrate, led the drive. She said they fined at least nine shops Tk 13,500 for defying lockdown rules.
(Arun Bikash Dey, Sushanta Ghosh, Arafat Rahaman, Dipankar Roy, Kongkon Karmaker and Abu Bakar Siddique contributed to this report)
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