Errant people crowd in districts defying lockdown

In a video conference between doctors of the two countries, Chinese medical personnel gave a simple message to Bangladeshi people – stay home, stay safe. 

Since the general holiday was announced in March, Dhaka has been putting more emphasis on the "stay home" approach, which brought Beijing success in fighting the coronavirus pandemic.

Many districts were placed under complete or partial lockdown after detecting coronavirus cases. However, the authorities are struggling to get people off the streets as Covid-19 has spread to 35 districts as of Sunday amid the extended shutdown till April 25.  

The Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR) on Sunday said new coronavirus cases have been found in four districts — Lakshmipur, Lalmonirhat, Thakurgaon and Jhalakathi.

The infection rate outside the capital but inside the Dhaka division is 35 percent, and the IEDCR said people in other districts developed Covid-19 infections as they made contract with Dhaka or Narayanganj returnees. 

Against the backdrop of the intensifying situation across the country, more people came out on Sunday compared to the last couple of days, though the IEDCR reiterated its advice to stay home. 

People flocked on the streets, markets and tea-stalls as soon as the patrolling law enforcers left, while many came out for collecting relief items. 

To fully restrict people's movement to slow down the coronavirus spread, Chattogram Civil Surgeon Sheikh Fazle Rabbi requested the government to impose area-wise lockdown immediately.

He feared that the community level infection has already begun in the port city.      

Though the entry points of the port city were sealed off, vehicles moved on a limited scale on Sunday. Many shops opened their shutters too. 

On the fifth day of district-wide lockdown in Narayanganj, law enforcers and armed forces personnel raided key points of the city. They patrolled to get people off the streets.

Police conducted drives at banks, markets and trading corporation's open truck sales points to ensure social distancing. Besides, checkpoints at the entry points of the district were vigilant so that none can leave Narayanganj – which has the second largest number of Covid-19 cases after Dhaka city. 

In Gazipur, a nightguard of the civil surgeon's office tested positive for Covid-19 amid the lockdown. Subsequently, 13 government staffers were placed under self-isolation on Sunday. 

The district went under lockdown on Saturday evening for an indefinite period.  

In Thakurgaon, people started gathering at places as soon as the patrolling law enforcers left. Thakurgaon Deputy Commissioner (DC) KM Kamruzzaman Selim said they were intensifying the surveillance.  

"Our mobile teams are fining people who flout the lockdown," added the DC.

In the meantime, Brahmanbaria city looked indifferent with many rickshaws and CNG-run autorickshaws on roads. Though police were deployed at the key points of the city, people were roaming around almost freely. 

Abu Sayeed, additional superintendent of Brahmanbaria Sadar Police Station, said they were trying their best to enforce the "stay home" order.         

North-eastern district Sunamganj was placed under lockdown on Sunday afternoon. Deputy Commissioner of the district Abdul Ahad said the shutdown will continue until further notice. 

Meanwhile, people in Gaibandha and Narsingdi were errant to the lockdown. People thronged the local markets, while many were gossiping at tea stalls in the districts.