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.

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.

The capital wore a deserted look on Friday -- the second day of the stricter lockdown imposed by the government in Bangladesh to contain the spread of Covid-19. The success of the lockdown can well be attributed to the sincere efforts of law enforcement agencies in convincing the residents to stay off the roads, morning rains and Friday, a government holiday. The stricter lockdown, which came into effect on Thursday morning, will continue till July 7 midnight. “On the one hand, it’s a Friday and also raining since morning, hence fewer vehicles are seen on the roads. On the other hand, we  are letting vehicles go only after thorough enquiries at posts," said traffic inspector Asaduzzaman (Mohakhali). Read:Lockdown: Police arrest 550 for violations on Dhaka streets “Cases are being filed against anyone caught stepping out of their homes without any valid reason,” he added. Meanwhile, Army personnel were also seen patrolling the streets of Dhaka, as the government scrambles to bring the Covid-19 situation under control.    Though there were fewer private and commercial vehicles on the main roads as compared to Thursday, rickshaws that provide last-mile connectivity to the residents were seen plying at many places.

The residents of Dhaka woke up to deserted roads as Bangladesh entered a stringent lockdown on Thursday with patrol teams out there to convince people to stay off the streets. The complete lockdown, which came into effect on Thursday morning to mitigate the spread of Coronavirus, will continue till July 7 midnight. Army personnel started patrolling the city streets in aid of the civil administration as the government scrambles to bring the Covid-19 situation under control.    Police have set up barricades and check-posts at all important points of the city to monitor the movement of vehicles as well as people. So, most roads in the capital were found almost empty with fewer private vehicles moving. Read: Appellate Division proceedings to continue virtually during lockdown; regular judicial work to be curtailed However, slow-moving rickshaws were seen moving everywhere in the city. Kitchen markets in the city remained open as the government allowed those to operate from 8 am to 5 pm. Abu Saleh Mohammad Raihan, joint commissioner (Traffic North) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police, said, “Roughly 25 per cent vehicles are plying the city roads compared to the last day as some offices related to emergency services will remain open during the lockdown. However, the police allowed only those vehicles which had valid reasons to move. Army personnel are also there patrolling the city streets.” No CNG-run auto-rickshaw other than rickshaws were seen on the roads since morning, he said. Traffic inspector Ziauddin (Demra) said, “Some motorised vehicles are moving there but those were allowed only after checking.” Asaduzzaman, another traffic inspector (Mohakhali), said: “The number of vehicles is negligible and most of those running with valid reasons.” However, the public transport remained off the road as per the government directives. Read:Stringent lockdown: Biman's domestic flights suspended till July 7

Despite an alarming spike in Covid-19 deaths in Bangladesh, people continue to defy restrictions on movement as a higher number of people and vehicles were seen on the streets  in Dhaka on the 5th day of lockdown enforced by the government from April 14 to contain the spread of the virus. No public transport is available on the roads but the number of private vehicles, rickshaws and auto-rickshaws are higher than the previous days as garment factories, banks and organizations providing emergency services resume operations after weekly holidays. Rickshaws are dominating  the roads as the movement of people has increased remarkably. Police are seen checking people’s  movement pass at different points  and allowing those to go who have valid reasons for going out. Members of the  law enforcement agencies are seen putting up barricades at different parts of the capital  for checking people  with body-worn camera uniforms which can record any untoward incident. Also read: Lockdown day 3: Dhaka streets largely deserted Meanwhile, pressure of vehicles was seen on  Uttara-Banani-Mohakhali  road where in some places  police were seen controlling traffic which was absent in the last four days.  Joint Commissioner Traffic (North) of Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) Abu Raihan MD Saleh  said, “Movement of public transport remained suspended and the law enforcing agencies are continuing regular activities at check-posts. People are seen passing with movement pass.In some cases, people have been facing fines or cases while failing to show any valid reason for leaving home.” Though shopping malls and shops on main roads remained closed, some grocery stores  in residential  areas  were allowed to operate for a few hours in the morning to enable people to buy their daily essentials. Also read: Lockdown: Many in Dhaka ignore restrictions in open defiance A surge in coronavirus cases prompted the government to go for a 8-day complete lockdown from April 14. On Saturday the country recorded 101 deaths  for the second consecutive day and 3473 new cases. The complete lockdown will continue till April 21 midnight. Lockdown instructions During the lockdown, all government, semi-government, autonomous, private offices and financial institutions will remain closed. All modes of public transport, including those of road, river, railway and air, will remain suspended. However, the restrictions will not apply to emergency services. Industries and factories have also been allowed to operate but on condition of maintaining health protocols. The offices, staffers and vehicles of the organisations providing emergency services, including law enforcement, agricultural products (fertilisers, seeds, pesticides, machinaries), crops, relief distribution, health services, power, water, gas, fire services, port activities, media (print and electronic media) and postal services, have been kept out of the purview of the restrictions. People’s movement will be restricted and no one will be allowed to go outside except for emergency needs (to purchase medicines, daily essentials, to take medical services and burial/ cremation of bodies, taking Covid-19 jabs etc). Hotels and restaurants can operate with takeaway/online services only from 12 pm to 7 pm and from 12 am to 6 am. The government imposed a 'loose' nationwide lockdown for one week from April 5 as part of its move to contain the spike in both coronavirus infections and fatalities. But the government allowed the resumption of public transport in city corporation areas from April 7 as well as reopening shops and shopping malls for five days from April 9 in the face of protests against the lockdown.