Coronavirus lockdown
Breaching Lockdown: Arrests decline at last on weekly holiday
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.
Lockdown Breaches: 568 arrested in Dhaka on 7th 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.”
Lockdown Breaches: 562 arrested as movement of vehicles, people increase on 6th day
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.
Dhaka finds new normal amid lockdown, arrests
As the ‘strict’ lockdown rolled into its 5th straight day on Tuesday, the streets in capital Dhaka saw a higher number of private vehicles with people trying to pick up the social life amid the worsening Covid situation.
When the restrictions were reimposed just after Eid-ul-Azha, the roads in the capital had fallen silent in the first few days. Part of it was the fact that many had retreated to their home districts or villages for Eid holiday, and were yet to return.
But now things are changing fast with every passing day as the roads are becoming busier with the bustle of vehicles with many people returning to Dhaka defying the Covid restrictions and warnings by health authorities.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police on Tuesday arrested 555 people in the capital - maintaining the level from the previous two days and the traffic police department fined 497 vehicles a total of Tk 11,73,000 for violating lockdown rules.
Meanwhile, 236 people across the city were fined Tk 4,83,975 by mobile court for not following health guidelines and restrictions.
UNO breaks up picnic organised in brazen breach of lockdown
In the midst of the strictest phase of COVID-19 restrictions imposed in the country since the start of the pandemic, one group of 50-60 people somehow found it appropriate to organise a picnic - and not even be discreet about it.
The strictness of the restrictions of course reflect the severity of the outbreak and how that has shifted. It shouldn't take an epidemiologist to tell us that Bangladesh is currently experiencing the worst phase of its entire outbreak.
The daily numbers coming out of DGHS, and out of them three in particular, are stark enough to not require expert interpretation of what they mean from a public health perspective.
The fact is that the number of deaths due to COVID-19 being reported on each day, the number of new cases, and the latest positivity rate (the percentage of tests returning positive for the virus), are all pointing in the wrong direction, and they've done so for quite a prolonged period now.
Yet as if oblivious to it all, this group of people hired out a trawler for the day, and blaring loud, incongruous picnic music on the vessel's PA system, set sail on Sunday morning down a famous canal in Chandpur.
Read: Covid-19 in Bangladesh: 200+ deaths, 11,291 new cases recorded
That they would be so brazen about it would prove their undoing however, as word started going around almost immediately of this blatant breach of the emergency restrictions.
By mid-day, Matlab Dakkhin UNO Fahmida Haque, assuming her executive magistrate powers leading a mobile court, was able to reach the spot on the Boaljuri canal that they were in.
There she broke up the picnic with other officials and made five of the organizers pay a penalty of Tk 11,500 against five cases of violating lockdown rules by organising a public gathering and playing loud music on speakers.
During the raid, the UNO seized the food catered for the picnic party and later distributed it among some local orphanages and madrasahs - fashioning a good ending to a story that could so easily have been sordid.
Lockdown Day 3: Banks reopen, 587 arrested, Tk 12.7 lakh fined
The third day of the ongoing strict lockdown saw increased number of people and vehicles on the streets of capital city on Sunday as police made more arrests and collected bigger sum of fines.
The increased movement may partly be due to the reopening of banks and return of Eid holidaymakers to the city, police said.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) arrested 587 people and traffic police collected Tk 12,72,000 as fines from 521 vehicles for violating lockdown rules on Sunday.
Meanwhile, 233 people across the city were fined Tk 1,00,950 by mobile courts for not following the restrictions and health guidelines.
Read: Day 2 of reinforced lockdown: 383 arrested in capital
RAB and Army personnel patrolling the streets of the city alongside local police, were seen monitoring the movement of vehicles and people setting up strategic check-posts in different areas.
Though check-posts were set up from Gabtoli-Mirpur Road-New Market to Uattara-Airport-Mohakhali, to prevent unwanted movement, people on the streets showed different excuses when caught by law enforcers, Traffic officer Asaduzzaman of Mohakhai said.
“Many people were still returning to the city after the Eid holidays.”
Though some were seen carrying luggage on foot, a good number of people were halted at the entry points of the city including Abdullahpur, Uttara, Tongi, Amin Bazar bridge and Babu Bazar bridge, he said.
Read: 403 arrests on day 1 prove lockdown back in earnest
However, as per the government instructions, only ambulances and those in emergency services were allowed to enter the capital.
On Thursday, State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain told UNB that this lockdown would be stricter than the one imposed last time. "Police, the paramilitary Bangladesh Border Guard and the Army will keep a strict vigil on the roads."
The second round of strict lockdown started on 8 am of July 23 that would continue till Aug. 5 unless further extended.
Sylhet scenario as strict lockdown resumes
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.
403 arrests on day 1 prove lockdown back in earnest
On the very first day back of the strict Covid-19 lockdown, 403 people were put under arrest by police, and 441 vehicles were fined by LEAs, for violating various protocols put in place as part of the lockdown restrictions.
The arrestees were out on the streets violating restrictions, said DMP Additional Deputy Commissioner (media) Iftekharul Islam.
Meanwhile, mobile courts collected Tk 127,270 in fines from 203 people.
The Traffic Division collected Tk 10.6 lakh in penalties, from vehicles failing to comply with the extraordinary restrictions in place.
Dhaka fell quiet in one fell swoop Friday, after restrictions imposed as part of the nationwide lockdown that started July 1 - the 'all-out' or 'maximum' lockdown - kicked in again. 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, 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.
Read: Lockdown Breaches: 462 arrested on day 14
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.
Today (Friday), the first day of the resumed lockdown, the number of vehicles seen in the capital was much lower than any other day during the last week.
Even then, many were seen in the morning returning to Dhaka through different ways as public transports were taken off the roads following the fresh order.
The government’s order for everyone was to stay in their respective areas as offices, courts, garment factories and all other export-oriented industries will remain closed during the period.
Rab and army personnel, deployed to enforce the strict restrictions, were seen checking the movement of people and vehicles at different points of the capital in addition to the duties performed by the police.
Until 10am, some public transports, carrying passengers, were allowed to enter the capital.
Akhtar Hossain, a traffic police officer, said some of the long-haul buses and vehicles were allowed to enter the capital through Uttara and Abdullahpur as they were stuck on the roads before entering the capital. “After 10 am, no vehicle was allowed in without valid ground,” he said.
In response to a query, Akhter said, “The government order is to maintain the lockdown strictly and we’re doing that today. Only the vehicles used for emergency services are allowed to move.”
Meanwhile, those returning to Dhaka from southern districts were seen entering Dhaka on foot through different entry points of the city like Tongi Bridge, Aminbazar Bridge, Babubazar Bridge and Postogola Bridge.
Read: Lockdown Breaches: 708 arrested, Tk 5.5 lakh fined on day 11
Most of them were bus passengers who had to get off from the vehicles before entering the city due to the suspension of traffic movement.
Members of law enforcement agencies were seen making them wear masks and maintain health rules as per the order.
On Thursday, State Minister for Public Administration Farhad Hossain told UNB that this lockdown will be stricter than the one imposed last time. Police, paramilitary Bangladesh Border Guard and the Army will keep a strict vigil on the roads, he said.
Earlier, the government eased the lockdown restrictions in the country for eight days due to Eid-ul-Azha that was celebrated on Wednesday.
Covid fatalities, infections in Bangladesh drop for 3rd straight day; 166 more die
Although the Covid-related deaths dropped to 166 in Bangladesh on Friday from 231 on July 19, the country’s health system still remained overwhelmed.
The country saw the below 200 fatalities for the third straight day.
Also, Covid-19 infections are at 81% of the peak now, with 9,632 new cases reported on average each day. The highest daily average was recorded on July 15.
Bangladesh recorded 6,364 new infections in 24 hours till Friday morning after testing 20,493 samples.
With Covid's Delta variant spreading fast, the country's fatalities had been hovering at nearly 200 for the last two weeks. It reported the highest daily Covid-19 fatality number – 231 – on July 19 and 13,768 infections on the 12th of the month.
There have been 1,146,564 infections and 18,851 coronavirus-related deaths here since the pandemic began, according to the Directorate General of Health Services (DGHS).
Read: Dhaka to receive 2.45 lakh AstraZeneca jabs from Tokyo Saturday
Meanwhile, the daily test positivity rate fell to 31.05% from Thursday's 32.19% when the World Health Organization (WHO) recommends a 5% or below rate.
Amid growing concerns about the highly infectious Delta variant, Dhaka division reported the highest 60 deaths, Khulna and Chattogram 33 each, Rangpur 12, Barishal 10, Sylhet eight, Rajshahi seven, and Mymensingh three.
However, the death rate stood at 1.64% and the recovery rate rose to 85.35%.
So far, Bangladesh has administered at least 11,565,087 doses of Covid vaccines – enough to have vaccinated around 3.1% of the country's population, assuming every person needs two doses.
The government on Friday reimposed the countrywide strict lockdown following an eight-day pause for Eid-ul-Azha. The new restrictions will continue till August 5, unless extended again.
The country imposed its toughest lockdown at the start of July. Under the lockdown, people were only allowed to leave home to buy essentials and for emergencies.
Read: India working to resume vaccine export to Bangladesh, reiterates Doraiswami
With the recent removal of the curbs ahead of Eid celebrations, people were seen breaking Covid-19 rules while they were on the streets and in markets and malls.
At least 82.67 lakh subscribers of the four telecom operators left Dhaka during July 15-20 to celebrate Eid, according to Post and Telecommunication Minister Mustafa Jabbar.
The WHO has reported that globally, Covid-19 cases and deaths had soared after periods of decline, with the reversal spurred in part by the delta variant.
Ferry-launch suspended from Friday morning
All water transports, including ferries, launches, speedboats and trawlers, will halt operation from 6 am Friday as the country begins another round of strict lockdown fearing a spread of the coronavirus infections following Eid celebration.
As per the July 13 cabinet decision, Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) ordered water transports services to remain closed from 6 am on July 23 to 12 am on August 5, said a media release on Thursday.
Also read: Strict lockdown from Friday, again
Meanwhile, no passenger vehicles and transports will be permitted on ferry from Friday (July 23) morning, as per another notification from Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation (BIWTC) issued on July 9.
However, emergency vehicles and ambulances would be allowed to cross in compliance with strict health guidelines.
Also read: Bangladesh loses 187 more lives as Covid situation remains girm
Both the notifications said that action would be taken against those who disobey the orders.