Holiday turns ineffective

Public holiday and restrictions on movement announced by the government to slow the spread of coronavirus turned ineffective as thousands of workers rushed to Dhaka and Chattogram on Sunday after many readymade garment factories resumed production despite the risks of massive infections and deaths.

Increased number of private vehicles was seen plying city roads in Dhaka a day after the Ramadan, month of fasting for the Muslims, began although roadside iftar bazars were not allowed.

Dhaka seems to be heading to normalcy amid lockdown enforcement as more vehicles and people coming to streets gradually despite the authorities’ instruction of staying at home.

People were still gathering in roads and alleys and crowding kitchen markets in the city and elsewhere across the country ignoring the government instructions for maintaining social distancing to fight the COVID-19 outbreak.

Most of the COVID-19 infections and death took place in last one month of holiday.

Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research data showed that there were 39 COVID-19 infection cases with four deaths just before countrywide shutdown was announced on March 26.

But, by Sunday, Bangladesh logged 145 deaths in the novel coronavirus and infections toll increased to 5,416, said government officials.

Police officials said that transports could be controlled to some extent, but when people were just walking to the capital, it was really tough to control them.

People from different parts of the country started arriving Dhaka and adjacent areas from Saturday after the government decided to allow some RMG factories to run their operations.

Mymensingh police superintendent Ahmar Uzzaman told New Age that a good number of RMG workers started to walk for Dhaka on Saturday saying that the factory owners had asked them to do so.

Mawa terminal in Munshiganj also witnessed a surge of people returning to the capital and elsewhere, said police and officials there.

Mawa police outpost inspector Serajul Kabir said that around 2,000 workers returned to the capital on five ferry services on Sunday.

Meanwhile, garment workers demonstrated in the capital’s Malibagh area and Dakkhin Salna and Bhogra areas in Gazipur and blocked two roads demanding unpaid wages on Sunday morning.

Workers of GMP Factory in Dakkhin Salna area blocked Salna-Shimultali road while workers of Style Cap factory in Bhogra area blocked Dhaka-Mymensingh Highway at about 9:00am.

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net