A weeklong countrywide lockdown has come into effect from today (Monday) with the government issuing an 11-point directive, aimed at reining in the fresh yet very strong wave of Covid-19 infection.
According to a circular, issued by the Cabinet Division on Sunday, people will not be allowed to go outside their homes from 6:00 pm to 6:00 am except for meeting any emergency needs (purchase of medicine and daily essentials, treatment and burial/cremation etc).
All modes of public transports, including buses, trains, water vessels and domestic flights, will remain suspended during the lockdown period. But the restrictions will not be applicable to transportation of goods, production system, and emergency services.
Offices, employees and transports involved in maintaining law and order and providing emergency services, like - relief distribution, health service, utilities like electricity, water, gas/fuel, fire control, activities at ports (land, river and sea), telephone and internet, telecommunication and other services, will remain out of the purview of the restriction.
According to the circular, all government, non-government and autonomous offices, courts and private offices can facilitate their employees to come to workplaces by making available their own transports on a limited scale.
Industries and factories can do the same for their workers, complying with the Covid-related health protocols. Factories under the Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) and the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BKMEA) have to take measures regarding providing field hospitals or treatment facilities to their workers.
All shops, including shopping malls, will remain closed during the shutdown. But shops can continue selling their products online by properly maintaining the health guidelines.
Buying and selling of kitchen items and daily essentials will be done only in open spaces. In that case, the authorities concerned or local administrations will ensure the services.
The restaurants can continue sale and supply of foods (only takeaway and online). None will be allowed to have foods sitting inside hotels and restaurants under any circumstances.
The Bangladesh Bank will give directives in relation to the continuation of banking operations in a limited scale, while armed forces will take measures to establish field hospital in a suitable location in Dhaka, according to the circular.
Regarding the enforcement of the directives, it said the district and field-level administrations will take necessary measures to implement the directives, and the law-enforcement agencies will patrol areas (under their jurisdiction) across the country on a regular basis.
"Legal actions will be taken, if anyone violates these directives," the circular also mentioned.
Meanwhile, mad rush of home-goers ahead of the lockdown continued on Sunday, as bus, rail and launch stations witnessed a huge crowd of commuters.
As a result, the densely populated capital experienced nagging traffic congestion at various points leading to the terminals of various modes of transportations.
After visiting some of the terminals, the FE correspondents found people in large numbers leaving the city without maintaining any health safety guideline, thus enhancing the risk of infection.
Md Kamrul Ahsan, a private sector employee, told the FE that he along with family members decided to leave for their hometown, as they had feared that the lockdown might be extended in phases up to the Eid-ul-Fitr.
Most of the bus operators were charging two to four times extra fare, and also ignoring the government's directive to carry passengers at half capacity, alleged Bangladesh Jatri Kalyan Samiti - a platform for passengers' welfare.
Mozzammel Haque, secretary general of the passengers' rights group, in a statement said pressure of passengers at bus terminals and counters in the country had increased manifold since announcement of the lockdown.
Ignoring the government's decision to hike fate at 60 per cent in public transports on the condition of transporting passengers at half capacity, most of the bus operators were charging higher fares and carrying passengers at full capacity.
On the other hand, several hundreds of shop owners and employees at New Super Market, Chandrima Market and Nurjahan Market protested the government's decision to impose lockdown, as they likened it to the last nail in the coffin of the traders.
The protestors brought out a procession in the afternoon, and chanted slogans demanding cancellation of the decision to keep the markets closed.
Shamsur Rahman, a shop owner at Dhaka New Super Market, said they lost all the major festivals last year because of the pandemic.
Seeing a downward trend in the number of Covid-induced infections and fatalities he took bank loan and invested in the business, hoping to recoup his previous loss.
"But the government decided to impose the lockdown without considering our pain. The shutdown will completely destroy our recovery plan. We want to continue our sales even in a limited scale following the health protocols," he mentioned.
Meanwhile, according to a circular of the Bangladesh Telecommunication Regulatory Commission (BTRC), it urged all the authorities concerned to extend necessary supports to smoothly maintain telecom-related services during the lockdown.
It also suggested the mobile operators and other telecom service providers to carry identity cards or related documents while attending emergency services.
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