Covid-19 bd
Ridesharing bikers, shop owners block Dhaka roads in protest
App-based ridesharing bikers and shop owners brought traffic movement to a grinding halt in parts of Dhaka Wednesday, protesting the government's restriction order on their services amid a record surge in Covid-19 cases.
The pedestrians said bikers of ridesharing services gathered at Moghbazar intersection at noon and staged a protest demanding an end to the ban on their services during the weeklong restriction on movement of people and transport.
Traffic came to a standstill at that time as the angry bikers began to protest. Later, they tried to take position in front of Dhaka Metropolitan Police Headquarters but failed as police gave chase to disperse them.
Also read: Bangladesh shatters its all-time records of daily Covid cases
Earlier, the bikers gathered at the Mohakhali area at around 11am and demonstrated on the streets, causing traffic congestion from Mohakhali to Bangladesh Navy Headquarters in Banani.
When contacted, an on-duty traffic inspector of the Mohakhali area told UNB that cases were filed against
ridesharing bikers as the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) imposed restrictions on bike ridesharing services until Apr 14 to prevent the spread of Covid-19.
Also read: Bustle back in Dhaka with reopening of city bus services
The BRTA has banned all ridesharing services for 15-days from Thursday to prevent the Covid-19 spread.
Meanwhile, shop owners and employees of the Bangabazar area blocked the streets of Gulistan in the morning, demanding immediate reopening of shops and markets.
Witnesses said protestors hurled brick chips at police as the law enforcement tried to disperse them.
Also read: No motorcycle ride-sharing from Thursday
Traffic came to a halt at Gulistan area at that time. At one stage, police dispersed the demonstrators.
Earlier, the government announced the lifting of ban on public transport in city corporation areas from Wednesday, amid the nationwide lockdown.
The move sparked anger among other commercial sectors and ridesharing bikers across the city.
Bustle back in Dhaka with reopening of city bus services
Traffic bustle returned to Dhaka with the resumption of city bus services on Wednesday, the third day of the seven-day countrywide lockdown.
In the wake of commuters’ sufferings, the government allowed public transports to resume their operations in Dhaka, Chattogram, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Cumilla, Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet, Barishal, Rangpur and Mymensigh city corporation areas from 6am to 6pm every day.
The relaxation has brough some sort of relief for commuters, vendors, traders and retailers who had suffered during the last two days for lack of public transports.
“This is good! It has enabled us to move easily in the city. But maintaining health protocols still remains a problem. People are reluctant,” said Shafiqul Islam, a private firm executive.
But, he said, with the resumption of public transport service, Dhaka got back its usual traffic chaos and sound pollution though the volume of vehicles was relatively low.
Although mass transports were relatively thin on the streets, traffic jams were seen in areas like Moghbazar, Banani and Gulistan areas.
BNP leader Anee infected with Covid-19
BNP publicity affairs secretary Shaheed Uddin Chowdhury Anee was infected with coronavirus.
Talking to UNB, Anee said he underwent Covid-19 test on Monday and his report came out positive on Tuesday.
The BNP leader said he has been suffering from fever, cough and sneezing for the last few days. “I’ve been receiving treatment as per doctor’s advice staying in isolation at my home.”
Also read: Covid-19: BNP’s Rizvi shifted to ICU
Anee urged all to pray for his speedy recovery.
Some other BNP senior leaders, including standing committee member Khandaker Mosharraf Hessian and his wife, standing committee member Selima Rahman, vice chairman AZM Zahid Hossain and his wife, chairperson’s adviser Dr AKM Azizul Haq and senior joint secretary general Ruhul Kabir Rizvi have been undergoing treatment at different city hospitals with coronavirus infections.
‘Loose’ lockdown causes sufferings to commuters
Bangladesh passed off its second day of the weeklong ‘loose’ lockdown on Tuesday with the daily Covid-19 cases and its fatalities reaching a new high.
But commuters said they suffered a lot on the streets on their way to offices and other destinations, and their way back home for lack of public transport. They had to endure the same sufferings on the first day of the lockdown on Monday.
As government offices and private firms and different factories remained open, office-goers were seen struggling to manage transports in the city to go to their workplaces and return homes. As part of the shutdown, public transports went off the roads.
Many of them were forced to hire rickshaws and auto-rickshaws paying excessive fares while some others reached offices walking on foot.
As the government’s restrictions were not enforced strictly, many city dwellers continued to show apathy to the health safety rules, including wearing masks and maintaining social distancing.
Alongside private cars, rickshaws and auto-rickshaws, microbus and CNG-run auto-rickshaws and many ride-sharing services were seen operating in the capital as usual while people moving freely ignoring the risks of Covid-19 transmission.
Also read: Lockdown in Bangladesh enters day 2 amid public apathy
Shopping malls are closed as per the government instruction but shops were seen open in many areas.
Visiting many city areas, the UNB correspondent found shops in lanes and by-lanes open despite the lockdown.
DNCC Market Hospital to get 200 new ICU beds: Health Minister
Two hundred Intensive Care Unit (ICU) beds and 1000 new isolation beds will be added in the Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Market Hospital within a short time, said Health Minister Zahid Maleque on Tuesday.
The minister came up with the information after sighting the new beds installation progress at the hospital in Mohakhali area in the afternoon.
The installation of new ICU beds was announced as the country witnessed record-breaking daily Covid-19 fatalities and infections with 66 deaths and 7,213 cases during the last 24 hours till Tuesday.
Also read: Covid-19 surge lays bare another crisis: Scant ICU beds and specialists
More than 7,000 new Coronavirus cases were recorded for the third consecutive day on Tuesday, according to a handout issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
The new beds will be inaugurated within the next two weeks, the minister hoped.
“No matter how many new beds are installed, Coronavirus won’t be controlled if people neglect the health guidelines,” he said.
Also read: 'Govt spending Tk 4.5 lakh on each Covid patient in ICU'
In many places people are creating agitation seeking withdrawal of lockdown, Maleque said, adding that in the present moment lockdown was mandatory so the government decided for it.
“The government will withdraw it in right time, if we don’t maintain the government directive now, Covid-19 infection and fatalities both might go beyond any control in the future,” the health minister added.
Govt allows public transport to operate during lockdown
The government has decided to allow public transport services to resume operations in city corporation areas from Wednesday as the country passes a weeklong lockdown enforced to curb Coronavirus transmission.
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Tuesday said they would be allowed to operate between 6am and 6pm.
Public transport services will operate in Dhaka, Chattogram, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Cumilla, Rajshahi, Khulna, Sylhet, Barishal, Rangpur and Mymensigh city corporation areas.
Also read: Lockdown in Bangladesh enters day 2 amid public apathy
But they will have to leave half the seats empty, the minister said in a press statement.
All long distance public transport services will remain suspended until further instructions from the government.
At the start and end of every trip, all buses must be sanitised, the minister said.
Also read: Experts find lockdown in Bangladesh “unscientific, halfhearted”
Staff and passengers must wear face masks and use hand sanitiser, the Road Transport and Bridge minister added.
Quader warned that taking any extra fare from the passengers than the adjusted one won’t be allowed.
He said this order will be effective from April 7.
Leaving before Lockdown
A large number of homebound people were seen gathering at railway station and bus terminals as the government announced 7-day countrywide lockdown from Monday.
Commuters fearing suspension of public transport crowding at the bus and launch terminals amid the risk of Coronavirus transmission.
Excessive pressure transports was seen on the highway causing long tailbacks.
Bangladesh set to enforce nationwide lockdown Monday amid Covid surge
The government is set to impose a nationwide lockdown for a week from Monday morning as part of its tougher move to slow down the rapid spike in both coronavirus infection and mortality rates.
The main objective of the lockdown is to control unnecessary public movements and gatherings with stronger monitoring by the members of law enforcement agencies and thus contain the virus transmission.
It will be the first official lockdown in Bangladesh to tackle the deadly coronavirus. On March 26 last year, the government had declared general holidays along with a transport shutdown instead of enforcing lockdown as the country was witnessing the surge in coronavirus transmission.
As the country has been experiencing record-breaking Covid cases for the past few days, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Sunday announced to impose a weeklong countrywide lockdown.
Most offices and factories will remain open during the period, but the employees will work in shifts maintaining health safety rules and government guidelines.
Also read: Restriction on gatherings, quarantine rule among PMO’s 18-point directive to contain Covid surge
Earlier, the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) issued an 18-point directive on March 29 to prevent the transmission of the virus.
Restrictions on movement/activities
The Cabinet Division on Sunday issued a gazette notification imposing restrictions on the movement of people and other activities for seven days in a bid to improve the situation and enforce the lockdown.
The gazette will remain effective from 6 am on April 5 till 12 am on April 11.
According to the gazette, all modes of public transport (road, river, rail and domestic flights) will remain suspended during the period.
Homebound people flock at launch and bus terminals dreading ‘lockdown’
Homebound people have started swarming into cities' launch and bus terminals as the announcement of countrywide lockdown came on Saturday.
On Saturday morning, Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said the government is set to announce a seven-day lockdown from Monday to stem the spread of coronavirus.
Since the declaration, people are dreading the suspension of all public transportation across the country and crowding at the bus and launch terminals.
Railways Minister MD Nurul Islam Sujan said passenger train services will remain suspended across the country during the countrywide lockdown period.
Joynal Abedin, joint director for Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) told UNB no announcement of suspending launch services has been made.
Also read: Govt to enforce 7-day lockdown from Monday: Quader
Yet dreading the upcoming suspension number of homebound people at the terminals has increased from this afternoon, said BIWTA’s joint director.
Sales manager of Hanif Paribahan bus service’s Kallyanpur counter, Nahid Hasan said bus counters were already packed with passengers as the bus owners were carrying 50 percent less passengers according to the Government’s order from Wednesday.
As the declaration of lockdown came today the crowd of passengers increased more, he said.
Unique bus service’s Gabtali counter man Sulaiman said, passengers are frightened about being stuck hence they are flocking at the ticket counters to leave the city within a day or two.
Covid-19 situation in Bangladesh
Amid an alarming surge in Covid-19 cases, Bangladesh recorded 5,683 fresh cases and 58 deaths in the last 24 hours until Saturday.
Also read: Covid-19: Bangladesh sees 5,638 cases, 58 more deaths
The infection rate slightly fell to 23.15 percent from 23.28 percent on Friday when the country recorded 6,830 cases, the highest since the beginning of the pandemic.
Bangladesh has so far recorded 630,277 coronavirus cases, according to a handout issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
During the 24-hour period until Saturday morning, 2,364 patients recovered, taking the number of recoveries to 549,775.
Meanwhile, the fatalities rose to 9,213 with the new deaths.
Covid-19: Dhaka, Chattogram among 29 districts with higher transmission
The Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS) has identified 29 districts, including Dhaka and Chattogram, with higher rates of Coronavirus transmission.
The areas have been dubbed ‘risky places’ considering the high number of Covid-19 cases.
Narayanganj, Gazipur, Nilphamari, Rajshahi, Naogaon, Sylhet and Khulna are also on the list of risky districts, according to DGHS.
Also read: Proposed partial lockdown in areas with high Covid-19 cases: Health Minister
Prof ABM Khurshid Alam, director-general of the health directorate, disclosed the findings after announcing an 18-point directive on behalf of the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) in a virtual press conference in the afternoon.
"Considering the level of transmission, the local administration can decide whether lockdown is necessary for any certain area or not,” he said. “But there was no decision on announcing general holiday.”