Dhaka sees exodus of low income people ahead of lockdown
People were seen returning homes through different exit points and major terminals of the city from last night
A large number of people, especially the low income groups, are fleeing from the capital as the upcoming strict 7-day lockdown, imposed to contain the Covid-19 pandemic, has stoked fears that they would be left jobless again.
A fresh seven-day strict lockdown will be enforced from 14-21 April across the country as Covid-19 has taken a dangerous turn here.
People were seen returning homes through different exit points and major terminals of the city from last night although scarcity of transport only increased their hassles.
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Hoards of home-bound people were stranded or waiting in the capital's Gabtoli, Abdullahpur, Jatrabari, Sayedabad and Mohakhali areas for transports to leave the city from Monday night and the situation kept deteriorating by each passing hour.
Commuters were in dire straits as long-distance vehicles remained banned from operating and many were seen travelling in trucks, covered vans and motorcycles paying a huge sum as fares.
Defying social distancing and hygiene rules people are still flocking around the terminals as they held the expected crisis of livelihood due to tougher lockdown responsible for the mass exodus from Dhaka city.
Meanwhile, the police are in a rigid position to prevent any untoward incident on the road.
As per the government directives, nobody will be allowed to go out except for emergencies during the countrywide strict lockdown to be put in force from 14 April at 6 am to 21 April midnight.
All government, semi-government, autonomous, financial and private offices will remain closed; public transports will remain suspended, and markets and shopping centres will remain shuttered during the seven days of strict restrictions.
All modes of inland transportation including road, rail and river, and international flight operations will also remain suspended.
Unless there is an emergency, such as medicine and essentials purchase, medical treatment, burial or funeral, no one will be allowed to go outside of home. Vaccine recipients will be allowed to go out to take the jab but they must show vaccine cards.
Bangladesh saw a 10-day general holiday starting from 26 March last year in the first phase during the early stage of Covid surge in the country. The holiday was later extended to 66 days in several phases.
Almost everything, except for emergency services, was closed initially but some sectors, including export-oriented industries, were later allowed to reopen.
Last week, the government declared a seven-day lockdown that has been extended by two days, but it is being implemented half-heartedly.
