BNP on Tuesday termed the government’s decision to relax the lockdown for a week ahead of Eid-ul-Azha a wrong one and warned that it will contribute to further deterioration in the Covid situation. “The government has been making wrong decisions one after another to hide its failures. This decision (easing lockdown) will only worsen the situation further,” said BNP organising secretary Syed Emran Saleh Prince. Read: Bangladesh eases lockdown restrictions ahead of Eid Talking to reporters after distributing food among people in front of BNP’s Nayaplatan central office and its adjacent areas, he also said had the government enforced a strict lockdown by providing low-income people with food and cash support after Eid-ul-Fitr and brought vaccines for all, the lockdown would not have needed. Prince alleged that people are falling into catastrophic situations repeatedly due to the failures of the government and its wrong decisions. He alleged that most of the steps taken by the government to tackle the corona pandemic were against people. “They’ve completely failed to deal with the situation.” Read: Govt likely to ease lockdown for 8 days from July 15 to July 22 The BNP leader said their party has repeatedly been saying that lockdowns or curfews will not work unless the needy and low-income people and those who live from hand-to-mouth are given necessary money and food support. “Now that has been proved right.” He demanded the government give one-time assistance of Tk 15,000 to the marginalised people. Earlier, the party leaders distributed food among the poor and disadvantaged group of people to ease their sufferings amid the countrywide lockdown. Read:604 people held in city during lockdown Party standing committee member Nazrul Islam Khan inaugurated the programme at its Nayapaltan central office. Prince said Jatiyatabadi Nagorik Samaj, a platform of BNP, arranged the food distribution programme as many people are going through serious sufferings due to the ongoing lockdown enforced by the government in an unplanned way.

The High Court on Tuesday warned Md Eunus Ali Akond, a Supreme Court lawyer, over filing writ petitions in the form of public interest litigation without being an aggrieved person. HC bench of Justice M Enayetur Rahim and Justice Sardar Md Rashed Jahangir came up with the warning after hearing a writ filed over a feud between a doctor and magistrate over movement pass during the lockdown. “Don’t file any writ being whimsical. If such writs are rejected, be prepared for paying a large fine,” HC said. “You have no authority (locus standi) to file a writ about the doctor-police and magistrate dispute, as said earlier. We will impose a heavy cost on you while rejecting the writ,” the HC added. On April 25, Eunus Ali Akhond filed a writ petition challenging the legality of the ongoing countrywide lockdown enforced by the government to contain the transmission of Coronavirus. Also read: Why FBCCI’s failure to halt polls won’t be declared illegal: HC The next day he filed another writ seeking a judicial probe into the feud between a doctor, police and magistrate that went viral on social media recently. The SC lawyer presented the two writs at the HC for hearing on Tuesday. On October 12 last year, the Appellate Division of the Supreme Court barred lawyer Akhond from practicing before both the Appellate and High Court Divisions for three months, for committing gross contempt of court by posting three derogatory comments about the judiciary on Facebook. He was also fined Tk 25,000 over the matter.

The strict lockdown imposed countrywide from April 14 to put a leash on the soaring transmission of Covid-19 in Bangladesh will stay in force till at least April 28. As boundless agonies of marginal income earners become more evident every day, some of them have taken the initiative to turn the table on the face of crisis by volunteering as frontline workers providing critical and emergency services during the pandemic. Also read: Bangladesh’s Covid death toll nears 11,000 as cases surge A UNB photojournalist had the opportunity to witness one such extremely vulnerable group – who identify as third gender or transgender – hard at work to earn their keep, even as the lockdown presents a whole new set of risks and dilemmas. Many of them depend entirely on irregular incomes from daily work in the informal sector. But many have lost their basic income source as the lockdowns come down particularly hard on informal work. Also read: Govt issues circular extending lockdown until April 28 Brought together by Brihonnola, a platform for the transgender community, these volunteers have stepped forward to fill a critical gap serving Covid-19 patients and their families, fully aware that the risk of infection is far greater in such settings. The photos were taken as they went about their work at Dhaka Medical College Hospital's Covid-19 unit. Also read: Transgender community members hold cleanup campaign at DU

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.

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.    

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.

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.

The flight operations on domestic routes will remain suspended immediately after enforcement of lockdown, said Air-Vice Marshal M Mofidur Rahman, chairman of Civil Aviation Authority of Bangladesh (CAAB) on Saturday. However, flights on international routes will operate as usual until further notice, he told UNB. He said a notice regarding suspension of domestic flights will be issued after the official announcement of lockdown. Also read: Govt to enforce 7-day lockdown from Monday: Quader Earlier today Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader said that the government is set to impose a seven-day lockdown from Monday to curb the spread of coronavirus. Meanwhile State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain also stated that the announcement of a countrywide seven-day lockdown would come within two or three days. However, industries or essential services will remain out of the purview of lockdown, said both the ministers. Also read: Covid-19: Bangladesh sees 5,638 cases, 58 more deaths Covid-19 in Bangladesh The number of Covid-19 cases continues to rise as 5,683 people tested positive in the last 24 hours until Saturday morning. Besides, the death toll from the novel coronavirus climbed to 9,213 in Bangladesh after 58 more deaths during the period.