Life is returning to normal in national capital Dhaka, with the Bangladeshi government easing the Covid lockdown curbs from Wednesday. Almost all factories, offices, shopping malls and standalone outlets reopened in Dhaka this morning, strictly adhering to all Covid-safety protocols. Read: Lockdown breaches: 198 arrested in Dhaka on the last day Public transport services also resumed operations in the morning. Several city buses were seen plying on a number of busy stretches and ferrying passengers with 50 percent of their seating capacity. Such was the morning rush that several areas of the city witnessed traffic snarls, giving commuters a harrowing time on the roads. However, the inter-district buses entering or exiting the city were fewer than pre-Covid days. Besides, train and launch services also resumed services across the country, keeping 50 percent of the seats empty. Abu Raihan Mohammad Saleh, joint commissioner (traffic north) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said, “Traffic jams in some areas were due to the rise in the number of vehicles on the roads." Commuters experienced snarls between 8 am and 10.30 am in different areas of the city -- Technical point, Mirpur, Shyamoli, Asadgate, Banani, Amtoli and Mohakhali intersection to name a few, Abu added.

Highway police have seized as many as 40 long-route buses for ferrying passengers on the Dhaka-Tangail highway of Gazipur in violation of lockdown restrictions. Cops raided the Chandra area of the Dhaka-Tangail highway and its vicinity on Thursday night on a tip-off that long-distance buses were transporting passengers at three to four times the original fares, defying the Covid lockdown norms. Read: Bustling Dhaka finally feels ‘lockdown silence’ Mir Golam Faruk, officer-in-charge of Konabari Highway police station, said that his men keep a strict vigil on the roads to curb the unnecessary movement of vehicles and people during the day. "However, after dark, taking advantage of  marginal relaxations, long-distance buses attempt to enter the city from North Bengal," he said. Read: Suspension of long-haul bus services makes people’s journeys arduous Though the buses were compounded and kept on the side of the highway in Konabari and Chandra areas, the OC said that their passengers had been let off with a warning. "We will take legal action against the violators."

Police arrested 354 people in Dhaka for violating lockdown restrictions on the 12th day of the countrywide strict lockdown on Tuesday. The arrestees failed to show any valid reason for coming out on the streets, said DMP Additional Deputy Commissioner (media) Iftekharul Islam. Meanwhile, mobile courts collected Tk 1,77,000 in fines from 120 people. Read: People find 'easy excuses' to defy lockdown in Dhaka Besides, the Traffic Division collected Tk 1,12,3000 as penalties from 532 vehicles for failing to comply with coronavirus lockdown restrictions. On the 12th day of lockdown, the streets of Dhaka flooded with vehicles bringing back its chaotic days. Read: Covid kills 218 more in Bangladesh as its catastrophe continues Everything except public transports were plying city streets and people wandering around with little or no regard to the health guidelines. The government, meanwhile, has extended the current lockdown till August 10.

Police arrested 303 people in Dhaka for violating lockdown restrictions on the 10th day of the 14-day countrywide strict lockdown on Sunday. The arrestees failed to show any valid reason for coming out on the streets, said DMP Additional Deputy Commissioner (media) Iftekharul Islam. Meanwhile, mobile courts collected Tk 1,16,100 as fines from 103 people. Besides, the Traffic Division collected Tk 4,45,500 as penalties from 183 vehicles for failing to comply with coronavirus lockdown restrictions. As mills and factories reopened on Sunday following the government’s announcement, public transports were seen on the roads till noon carrying workers and staff to the city. Read: People find 'easy excuses' to defy lockdown in Dhaka Those who had left the capital for Eid-ul-Azha and did not return due to the closure of factories were seen entering the city on foot amid the lockdown. Good number of buses and other vehicles were seen around Abdullahpur Tongi Bridge, Ashulia Bridge, Aminbazar Bridge, Gabtoli, Babubazar Bridge and Postogola Bridge. Shimulia ferry terminal in Munshiganj also saw a huge crowd as people from south western districts were coming back to the capital to join their work. However, the streets in Dhaka saw a lower number of CNG autorickshaws and private vehicles. Visiting Gabtoli, Technical Intersection, Kamalapur, Shyamoli, Asadgate, New Market and Mirpur areas and Uttara, Abdullahpur, Banani, Mohakhali, Airport, Satrasta, Kakrail, Matshya Bhaban, the UNB correspondent found few private cars and CNG autorickshaws. Read: Covid kills 218 more in Bangladesh as its catastrophe continues The number of three-wheeler rickshaws was more than the previous day. Members of the police, Rab and BGB were seen patrolling the city streets and checking vehicles at check posts in different parts of the capital. Re-imposed at 8 am on July 23, the current round of strict lockdown will be in force till August 5, unless extended further.

Police arrested 481 people in Dhaka  for violating lockdown restrictions on the 9th day of the 14-day countrywide strict lockdown on Saturday The arrestees failed to show any valid reason for coming out on the streets, said DMP Additional Deputy Commissioner (media) Iftekharul Islam. Meanwhile, mobile courts collected Tk 2,06,710  as fines from  202 people. Besides, the Traffic Division collected Tk 10,45,000 as penalties from 440 vehicles for failing to comply with coronavirus lockdown restrictions. Although public transport movement remained suspended, thousands of people started returning to Dhaka, following the government’s announcement that mills and factories will reopen on Sunday (Aug 1). Read: Covid kills 218 more in Bangladesh as its catastrophe continues Those who had left the capital for Eid-ul-Azha and did not return due to the closure of factories were seen entering the city on foot amid the lockdown.

Police arrested 381 people in Dhaka  for violating lockdown restrictions on the 8th day of the 14-day (unless extended) countrywide lockdown on Friday. It was the first time in a week that the number dropped below 500, as movement of vehicles and people was comparatively less,  presumably for being a holiday. The arrestees failed to show any valid reason for coming out on the streets, said DMP Additional Deputy Commissioner (media) Iftekharul Islam. Meanwhile, mobile courts collected Tk 6,7940  as fines from 108 people. During this time, the Traffic Division collected Tk 817000 as penalties from 321 vehicles for failing to comply with coronavirus lockdown restrictions. Read: Bangladesh records 212 more Covid deaths setting off alarm bells Although people movements were less inside Dhaka, the scenario was different at the entry points as the UNB correspondents observed  huge groups of people entering the capital, maintaining the trend of the last few days. As the law enforcement agencies are arresting and collecting fimes from people for violating restrictions on one hand, the government has decided to  reopen all export-oriented factories from 1 August  on the other. The cabinet division has issued a notification in this regard stating that all export-oriented factories will remain out of the purview of the ongoing lockdown restrictions which is expected to continue till Aug 5, unless extended further. The decision came today after the business leaders  on Thursday requested the government to reopen garment factories and other industries amid the lockdown. The government reinforced 14-day strict lockdown restrictions following Eid vacation till August 5. Read: Covid surge in Bangladesh: Primary schools to remain shut until Aug 31 Unlike the all out restrictions before Eid, mills and factories were instructed to remain closed during this time. There are speculations that the government might extend the lockdown as the Covid infections are at its peak  shattering records of highest single day transmissions and deaths every other day.

Police arrested 568 people in Dhaka  for violating lockdown restrictions on the 7th day of the 14-day countrywide lockdown on Wednesday. The arrestees failed to show any valid reason for coming out on the streets, said DMP Additional Deputy Commissioner (media) Iftekharul Islam. Meanwhile, mobile courts collected Tk 3,40,100  as fines from 206 people. During this time, the Traffic Division collected Tk 9,97,500 as penalties from 431 vehicles for failing to comply with coronavirus lockdown restrictions. Read: People find 'easy excuses' to defy lockdown in Dhaka However, any amount of fines or deaths recorded due to Covid-19 is apparently not enough to keep people at their home as traffic on the streets of capital Dhaka is increasing with every passing day amid the lockdown. The number of vehicles and people increased substantially on Dhaka streets on Thursday. Many people were seen coming out and wandering without any valid reason while health protocols are hardly maintained in most cases. However, the movement of private vehicles has increased as many private offices have arranged vehicles for the movement of their own staff. But public transport stayed off the roads as per the directives of the government. Read: Covid in Bangladesh: Daily toll remains above 200; 15,271 more infected People were seen reaching their destinations by rickshaws as it is available during the lockdown. Traffic inspector Asaduzzaman, said, “The number of vehicles is increasing day by day. We’re checking every vehicle. Those who failed to justify their outdoor movement are fined and cases lodged for violating lockdown rules.”

Police arrested 562 people for being out there on the streets violating restrictions even as the capital city saw an increased number of private cars and public movement on the 6th day of the 14-day lockdown on Wednesday. The arrestees failed to show any valid reason for coming out on the streets, said DMP Additional Deputy Commissioner (media) Iftekharul Islam. Meanwhile, mobile courts collected Tk 1,61,130 as fines from  208 people. During this time, the Traffic Division collected Tk 1,13,0000 as penalties from 489 vehicles for failing to comply with coronavirus lockdown restrictions. Despite the measures taken by the authorities, people continue to venture out with families and friends in the capital defying the lockdown rules even though the Covid outbreak has turned vicious in the country. Read: People find 'easy excuses' to defy lockdown in Dhaka There was nothing different on Wednesday as people were seen roaming without emergency reasons with private cars and rickshaws plying everywhere. Dhaka wore almost a normal look with an increased number of vehicles and people on the streets. Only the movement of public transport remained suspended as per the government restrictions.

People continue to venture out with families and friends in the capital defying the lockdown rules even though Bangladesh recorded the highest daily rise in its Covid-19 death toll on Tuesday. There was nothing unique on day six (Wednesday) of the ongoing strict lockdown as people were seen in the capital moving without emergency reasons with private cars and rickshaws plying everywhere. Read: Dhaka finds new normal amid lockdown, arrests Dhaka wore almost a normal look with an increased number of vehicles and people on the streets. Only the movement of public transport remained suspended as per the government restrictions. With the spike in Covid cases, hospitals in cities and districts are getting overwhelmed with Covid patients but the lockdown restrictions are largely ignored. Visiting different areas, the UNB correspondent saw the increased movement of people in different areas of the city including Kakrail, Malibagh, Shegunbagicha, Dhamondi, Mohammadpur, Shahbagh, Kataban and Farmgate.   Even people were seen gossiping on roads and moving from one place to another without wearing masks. Read: 403 arrests on day 1 prove lockdown back in earnest Talking to UNB, traffic inspector of Mohakhali area Asaduzzamn said the pressure of vehicles increased today compared to the last few days. “In some areas, traffic control is needed due to a rise in the number of vehicles,” he said. When police stop vehicles at check-posts, passengers show various causes for coming out of home,including banking work, hospitalization of patients and vaccination, he said. “We’re filing cases and realising fines from those who cannot show a valid reason for going outdoors but people are coming out despite all this,” he added. Akhter Ahmed, a traffic sergeant of Uttara, said the number of vehicles is increasing every day. As the country battles a brutal wave of pandemic, Bangladesh logged record-high 258 Coronavirus-related deaths in 24 hours till Tuesday morning, shattering the record of 247 single-day deaths a day before.   The country has been seeing nearly 200 deaths every day for the past two weeks and breaking records of daily cases and deaths almost every other day.   Besides, 14,925 more people came out Covid positive after the test of 52,478 samples, according to a handout issued by the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).   The country saw the highest-ever 15,192 Covid cases on Monday.   With the new numbers, the death tally from Covid-19 reached 19,779 today while the caseload mounted to 1,194,752.

Mobile courts in Sylhet collected Tk 15,400 as fines from individuals and businesses that violated lockdown restrictions on Friday, the very first day of stringent restrictions resuming after Eid. Besides, 46 vehicles were sued, while 92 were  outright seized on the day. Read: Lockdown: Mobile courts collect fines of Tk 76,300 in Sylhet, 1 held in Sylhet Law enforcers were tough on those violating curbs during the previous segment of the stringent lockdown. Five  mobile courts were active in the city throughout Friday, demonstrating there would be no room for taking things easy even to start with. Army personnel were seen patrolling Sylhet city alongside police, RAB and BGB. Additional Deputy Commissioner(Media) of  Sylhet Police BAM Ashraf Ullah Taher confirmed the day's numbers at the start to UNB. The features that differentiate the July 2021 lockdown in Bangladesh from any previous lockdown or restrictive protocol during the pandemic can broadly be identified in three streams: i) Law-enforcement agencies were given the authority to perform mass arrests of the public if need be, of citizens found in breach of lockdown rules. Agencies have in turn shown their willingness to use it. Even on resumption day (Friday), over 400 such arrests were reported.  ii) Larger deployments of the security and law enforcement agencies, including Army and BGB battalions. iii) Mobile courts jointly operated between agencies and local administrations working far more proactively to nab and even track/hunt down offenders, coupled with more aggressive use of their fining authority. The lockdown restrictions came into force at 8am today and will continue till August 5 midnight, unless extended again as announced by the government on Thursday, upping its guard against the devastating Delta variant of Covid-19.