lockdown
Govt may impose tough lockdown if situation deteriorates: Quader
Road Transport and Bridges Minister Obaidul Quader on Monday said that the strict lockdown has been relaxed for the sake people’s lives and livelihoods, but it may be re-imposed if Covid situation worsens.
He was speaking at the signing of an agreement between the Department of Roads and Highways (DRH) and a construction company at the DRH office.
Read: Begum Mujib was a co-fighter of Bangabandhu, says Quader
Quader said the fare in the public transport will be the same as before the pandemic and not the recently increased fare as they will run on full passenger capacity.
The minister said both passengers and bus workers must follow hygiene and health rules and wear masks. He urged the BRTA to take necessary steps in this regard.
He urged the engineers to maintain quality in road construction. He also called for restoring discipline on roads and highways.
Quader, also the general secretary of Awami League, trashed BNP’s criticism of government’s mass vaccination campaign.
The people have responded spontaneously to the vaccination, he said adding this is causing heartburns of BNP leaders.
Read: History has forgotten those who tried to erase Bangabandhu, says Quader
He urged the BNP to learn from the welfare-oriented politics of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and her deep commitment to the people. However, the truth is that this party has never learnt from history, he said.
Secretary of Roads and Highways Department Nazrul Islam, Chief Engineer of Roads and Highways Department, Project Director of the project Abdullah Al Mamun and other officials of the construction company were present at the signing ceremony.
Lockdown breaches: 241 arrested in Dhaka on day 17
Police arrested 241 more people in Dhaka on Sunday for violating lockdown restrictions on the 17th day of the countrywide lockdown aimed at reducing the Covid-19 spread.
The arrestees failed to show any valid reason for being out on the streets, said DMP Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) Iftekharul Islam.
Meanwhile, mobile courts collected Tk 37,450 in fines from 84 people.
Read: Govt eases lockdown from Aug 11 with some guidelines to follow
Also, the Traffic Division collected Tk 12,18,000 as penalties from 537 vehicles for violating lockdown restrictions.
The number of vehicles and people on the city’s streets were comparatively higher on Sunday than the previous day.
The movement of people and vehicles increased significantly on the 17th day of lockdown on as many people are coming out of their houses for various reasons.
Read: Lockdown or no lockdown, life is the same in Dhaka
Some people are going outside for vaccination as mass vaccination programme began in the country on Saturday while many more for other reasons as export-oriented factories were opened on August 1.
It is only the shopping malls and eateries that remained closed and public transport stayed off roads as per lockdown rules.
Govt eases lockdown from Aug 11 with some guidelines to follow
The government has decided to ease the ongoing nationwide lockdown from Aug. 11 with a few guidelines to follow in different sectors and people’s movement and gatherings.
The Cabinet Division issued a notification in this regard Sunday saying with some restrictions imposed during the lockdown will be lifted following the decision taken in an inter-ministerial meeting held on Aug. 3.
From August 11, all the government, private offices and banks will be opened following the health guidelines, said the notification issued on Sunday.
It said Bangladesh Supreme Court will issue necessary directives about the courts.
Read: Lockdown or no lockdown, life is the same in Dhaka
Road, railways and river transports will be allowed to carry passengers in full passenger capacity. However, in regard to road transports local administrations (Divisional Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners) are allowed to order half of the public transport to move every day after consulting with the relevant authorities and law enforcement forces.
Lockdown or no lockdown, life is the same in Dhaka
Amid growing calls for stronger measures to stop the spread of Delta variant, the government has imposed a nationwide lockdown and extended it several times. But the question is whether there is any lockdown in capital Dhaka as everything looks normal?
“This lockdown seems to be pointless when people are allowed to move as they wish. What we really need are clear rules about the lockdown and its genuine enforcement,” said a retired engineer wishing anonymity.
Read:Lockdown breaches: 342 arrested in Dhaka on day 16
The movement of people and vehicles increased significantly on the 15th day of lockdown on Sunday as many people are coming out of their houses for various reasons.
Some people are going outside for vaccination as mass vaccination programme began in the country on Saturday while many more for other reasons as export-oriented factories were opened on August 1.
It is only the shopping malls and eateries that remained closed and public transport stayed off roads as per lockdown rules.
During visits to different areas of the city, the UNB correspondent saw roads were filled with private vehicles and rickshaws as usual.
In some cases, traffic police were seen handling the pressure of vehicles on roads. Besides, the pressure of vehicles was largely seen in Mohakhali, Tejgaon, Satrasta, Uttara, New Market, Mirpur, Asad Gate, Banani, Gabtoli and Technical points. The searching and checking of people and vehicles at different points of the capital also continued, though loosely.
Read:Bustling Dhaka finally feels ‘lockdown silence’
Traffic Inspector Asaduzzaman (Mohakhali), said, “The number of vehicles is higher than the previous days and we’re handling traffic manually at Mohakhali and Amtola point.”
Domestic flights to resume from Aug 6 amid relaxed lockdown
In gradual relaxation of the extended Covid-19 lockdown the government has decided to allow domestic flights to operate in all routes from Friday.
The information was confirmed in the notification of the cabinet division regarding lockdown restrictions on Thursday afternoon.
Read: Bangladesh, India planning limited flight operation
Right after the notification, US-Bangla Airlines issued a press release on resumption of flights on all domestic routes in compliance with health regulations from Aug. 6.
Among the routes operated from Dhaka, US-Bangla Airlines has decided to run flights to Chattogram, Cox's Bazar, Syedpur, Jashore, Sylhet, Barisal and Rajshahi, said the press release.
They requested their customers to call 01777777800-6 or 13605 for ticket reservations.
Read:68 more return to Dhaka from Thailand by special flight
Faced with the mounting Covid-19 cases and hospitalization, the government on Thursday decided to extend the ongoing lockdown for five more days until Aug. 10 in an effort to slow down the virus transmission.
The Cabinet Division issued the notification on Thursday which will remain in force from 12 am on Aug. 5 till 12 am on Aug. 10.
According to the notification, the industries and factories will remain out of the purview of the restriction while the domestic flight will be operated following health guidelines.
Read: Domestic flights to carry intl passengers to port of departure during lockdown
The nationwide lockdown, first imposed on July 23 for 14 days until Aug. 5, has now been extended for another five days till Aug. 10 amid a surge in the Delta variant of Covid-19 infections across the country.
The government also asked all concerned to take measures in this regard.
Banks to remain closed on Sunday
Banks will remain closed on Sunday, said the Bangladesh Bank in a circular issued on Thursday.
However, banks’ transaction time on Monday and Tuesday has been extended by half an hour from 10 am to 3 pm instead of existing time from 10 am to 2:30 pm.
Read: Bank transaction time extended by 1 hour during lockdown
They can remain open up to 4:30 pm to conduct their official activities, said the BB circular, issued against the backdrop of the government’s extension of current lockdown until August 10 considering the Covid-19 situation.
The other instructions including maintenance of all Covid-safety protocols and operation with limited staff will remain unchanged.
As per that circular, during this period, the head offices and other necessary branches of banks can remain open with limited staff.
Read: Banks to open from Sunday for limited hours
The banks have to conduct its regular activities like deposits and withdrawal of money by customers, demand note/pay order issue, foreign remittance handover, payment under the government’s safety-net social programmes and pension payments.
However, internet banking services will continue for 24 hours. All banks will have to ensure the operations of ATM kiosks to facilitate transactions through cards and by supplying adequate cash in the machines, said the BB circular.
Covid-19: Bangladesh announces new restriction rules
`Faced with the mounting Covid-19 cases and hospitalization, the government has imposed restrictions alongside the existing ones on the movement of people and other activities for five days more in an effort to slow the virus transmission.
The Cabinet Division issued the notification on Thursday which will remain in force from 12 am on August 5 till 12 am on August 10.
Read:Lockdown breaches in Dhaka: 425 more held; over Tk13 lakh fined
According to the notification, the industries and factories will remain out of the purview of the restriction while the domestic flight will be operated following health guidelines.
On July 22, the Bangladesh government announced the resumption of the countrywide strict lockdown from July 23.
The nationwide lockdown, first imposed for 14-days until August 5, has now been extended for another five days till August 10 amid a surge in the Delta variant of Covid-19 infections across the country.
The government also asked all concerned to take measures in this regard.
354 held for breaching lockdown rules on day 12
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.
Workers’ lives have little value to govt: Fakhrul
BNP Secretary General Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir on Tuesday alleged that a chaotic situation has been created by reopening RMG factories amid the ongoing lockdown as workers’ lives have no value to the government.
"RMG workers went through extreme sufferings while joining thier jobs. The government has created a messy situation by allowing the workers to go home and again bringing them back to work. Their lives seem to have no value,” he said.
Speaking at a virtual discussion, the BNP leader said the government whimsically allowed the workers to go home amid Covid transmission before Eid-ul-Azha and thus helped spread the virus across the country. “They now asked them to come back amid the lockdown. The workes returned to Dhaka from Mymensingh, Manikganj, Munshiganj and other areas on foot to join their jobs. This is too much.”
Read: Govt deceiving people over Covid vaccines: BNP
Mannan-Nilufar Memorial Foundation arranged the programme, marking the first death anniversary of late BNP vice-chairman and ex-state minister Abdul Mannan.
Fakhrul alleged that the government is least bothered about the sufferings of people and their lives and livelihoods as it is not elected by them.
"This is the high time to stand up against this misrule. We have to stand up against this monstrous regime that has been running the country without public mandate,” he said.
Read: Covid situation turned terrible: BNP
The BNP leader said a truly democratic government must be established to 'restore' people’s rights. "We all have to work together and move forward to make it happens.”
Fakhrul recalled the contributions of Mannan to the country and BNP as an honest and responsible politician.
Mannan, who served as the state minister for Civil Aviation and Tourism from 1991 to 1996, died on August 4 last year at the age of 78.
Dhaka’s traffic overload that never ends, not even in lockdown!
Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, is known for its traffic congestion. One will see it, no matter whether there is a shutdown or bad weather because its chaotic traffic -- still too mild a term -- is its identity.
On the 12th day of lockdown, UNB correspondents saw the streets of Dhaka flooded with vehicles bringing back its chaotic days. 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 amid a surge in the delta variant of Covid-19 across the country.
Liberation War Affairs Minister AKM Mozammel Haque disclosed the decision of the government while talking to reporters after an inter-ministerial meeting on Tuesday.
He said shops, factories and offices will be reopened from August 11 while public transport will be allowed to ply roads on a limited scale once the lockdown is over.
After a reality check at different parts of the capital, including Shabagh, Uttara, Mohakhali, Mirpur, Kalabagan, Biijoy Srani, Badda, Farmgate, Shyamoli, Karwan Bazar and Bangla Motor, the UNB correspondents saw the capital almost returning to normal with, with an increased number of vehicles and people on the streets.
Read: People find 'easy excuses' to defy lockdown in Dhaka
Usual traffic jams were also seen at most of these places during office hours from 8:30 am to 11 am.