Over 9k held in 14-day lockdown

More than 9,000 people were arrested in Dhaka in the 14-days "strict lockdown" as the government is relaxing the restrictions for eight days from today for the Eid-ul-Azha.

Besides, mobile courts fined 2,999 individuals and business establishments Tk 39.11 lakh while 8,139 vehicles were fined over Tk 1.83 crore for violating lockdown, according to Dhaka Metropolitan Police.

However, such action affected little as Dhaka and elsewhere were seeing a rise in public and vehicular movement every day with the spike in Covid-19 infections and deaths throughout the country.

There is a chance that Covid-19 transmissions will rise since the ongoing lockdown has been withdrawn for a week, health officials said yesterday.

Yesterday, traffic, crowds swelled up on Dhaka streets on the final day of lockdown. Large numbers of people and vehicles like private cars, motorbikes and rickshaws were seen on the streets.

There were gridlocks at different intersections including Panthapath, Karwan Bazar, Bijoy Sarani, Mouchak, Kakrail and Mohakhali areas in the capital.

Private cars, motorbikes and rickshaws dominated the city thoroughfares. The traffic police were busy directing traffic.

A private employee came to the office from Mohammadpur to Mohakhali around 10:30am. He said he had to face traffic jam at Manik Mia Avenue and Bijoy Sarani crossing for some time.

A traffic sergeant who was on duty at a Farmgate checkpost said more vehicles were on the road yesterday than any other day.

Like other days, kitchen markets also drew public gatherings, and vendors were seen roaming around the streets while many shops stayed open. Shopping malls, markets and big outlets were preparing to open their businesses from today ahead of Eid.

Laundry services, salons were also found open in some areas nearly after two weeks of closure.

"We reopened the laundry shop after 12 days as many people will need the services ahead of Eid," said a laundry service provider in the Shymoli area.

Meanwhile, DMP's mobile courts yesterday fined 105 persons over Tk 1.32 lakh and 744 vehicles over Tk 15.79 lakh for violating lockdown. Some 462 people were arrested on similar charges.

Outside Dhaka, gridlock was created in Brahmanbaria part of Cumilla-Sylhet highway due to repairing works on Langalbandh Bridge in Narayanganj.

Thousands of goods-carrying vehicles crowded the highway, making it almost impassable. Drivers and passengers were in distress, reports our Brahmanbaria correspondent.

The government imposed a seven-day nationwide "strict lockdown" from July 1. Later, it was extended till July 14.

But the government on Monday issued a circular relaxing the lockdown from July 15 to 6:00am of July 23. It will be re-imposed from July 23 to August 5.