Lockdown day 3
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.
Lockdown day 3: Dhaka streets largely deserted
The streets of capital Dhaka were largely deserted on the third day of a nationwide ‘strict’ lockdown compared to the first two days.
Rickshaws, which were seen plying the city streets in the early days of the lockdown, were hardly seen today.
Visiting Kakoli and Banani Chairman Bari on New Airport Road, Gulshan-1, Gulshan-2, Progoti Sarani, Merul Badda and Rampura areas, this correspondent saw vary few private cars and other private vehicles out on the streets.
Also read: Govt to expats: Don’t come during lockdown, except for emergencies
Traffic Inspector Asaduzzaan of Mohakhali area said the number of private vehicles as well as rickshaws is very thin on the weekend.
All shops and business establishments on the main streets were seen closed on Friday.
At the checkposts, the law enforcers did not stop people as often as they did on the first two days.
A large number of Muslim devotees were seen attending Jum’a prayers. Shops and shopping malls remained closed. However, kitchen markets were open as usual but they were not operating in open spaces violating the government directives. Besides, many people were seen ignoring health guidelines.
A surge in coronavirus cases prompted the government to go for a strict lockdown to contain the virus’ transmission. Bangladesh recorded over 7,000 daily cases before the number fell below 4,500.
Also read: Lockdown: Many in Dhaka ignore restrictions in open defiance
On Friday, the country recorded 101 deaths - its highest single-day fatality - and 4,417 new cases.
Bangladesh reported its first coronavirus case on March 8, 2020, and the first death on March 18 the same year.
Amid the worsening Covid-19 situation, the government last week resorted to tough measures. The lockdown which began at 6am on April 14, will be in effect until April 21 midnight.