An unlikely weekend it looked like in Dhaka-increased traffic and commuters, evidently as people came out for doing limited economic activity under a further relaxed curfew after days of delirious unrest.
The curfew restrictions in the capital city and adjacent districts were suspended further for nine hours between 8.00am and 5.00pm for Friday and today (Saturday).
Dhaka witnessed increased traffic and commuters on Friday than on usual holidays as people were seen accomplishing their pending tasks following days of turmoil.
People from different walks of life were seen rushing to and from different destinations as well as increased number different vehicles, including public buses, CNG three-wheelers and private cars, plied the city streets.
A good number of vehicles were also seen even after 7.00pm, indicating a relaxed ambiance coming down after the guarded life.
A physician, Nazmul Alam, came to Bashundhara City Shopping complex on Friday afternoon-nonchalant in his mood.
"It seems everything has been returning to normal following the anarchy which killed many people," says the doc, adding that he was still in a fix to travel in the city.
"However, we have come to the shopping mall to buy some necessaries as my younger brother is scheduled to marry next weak," he adds.
Earlier, following a law-and-order meeting, Home Minister Asaduzzaman Khan Kamal on Thursday night told the media that curfew will continue in Dhaka, Gazipur, Narsingdi and Narayanganj. "The curfew would continue in Dhaka Metropolitan, Dhaka district, Gazipur metropolitan, Gazipur district, Narayanganj and Narsingdi districts as it took place so far," said the minister.
"It will be relaxed between 8.00am and 5.00pm till Saturday," he said.
He also said the combing operation would continue "to arrest the miscreants who vandalised important infrastructures" across the country in the backdrop of students' job-quota-reform movement.
The minister expressed the hope that the situation would get back to usual soon.
The government imposed curfew with effect since last Saturday as violence erupted across the country centering the quota protests.
In the meantime, the quota system in government recruitment has been recast by an apex-court verdict fairly in line with their demand. But the protesters have placed several other demands in the changed situation marked by deaths and devastations as well as shutdown of educational institutions.
Government inspection reports show restoring wrecked infrastructures and systems seems to be none too soon.
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