Not much of a ‘lockdown’

Despite the government extending the current week-long "lockdown" for another seven days, most of the main roads and intersections in the capital yesterday witnessed increasing number of people and vehicles.

Visiting some key spots like Asad Gate, Mirpur, Mohakhali, Rampura, and Farmgate, this correspondent found that the restrictions seemed to be much more relaxed.

On the seventh day, all types of transport except buses were seen plying the roads while movement of pedestrians also increased.

In some places, police were rarely stopping people for movement pass.

In the morning, a tailback was seen on Mirpur Road near the Technical area as there was a queue of private cars, covered vans, motorbikes and auto-rickshaws. There were gridlocks in quite a few places where police were controlling traffic manually.

Like the other days, rickshaws dominated Dhaka streets yesterday. The scenes at kitchen markets were as usual -- they were teeming with people.

Meanwhile, the alleys remained as crowded as ever since many shops other than groceries and pharmacies were operating their businesses. Many had their shutters half-closed.

Public movement increased in the afternoon as service holders started to head back home. Many also got out of their home to buy Iftar.

With coronavirus cases continue to rise alarmingly from mid-March, the government imposed a nationwide "lockdown" for one week from April 5 as part of its move to contain the virus' spread.

Later, a week-long "stricter lockdown" was declared from April 14, which now got extended till April 28.