Has social distancing been ensured?
To prevent corona outbreaks, general holidays have been announced all government and private offices are closed. Only emergency services are open. And the bank is open for half day.
The purpose of the general holiday was to maintain social distance across the country to close public meetings and to implement a virtually unannounced lockdown. And these steps have been taken to prevent coronavirus through community transmission. In addition to law and order agencies, the Army has been called in to assist the administration in implementing the steps taken by the government.
But the long public holiday declared by the government has turned it into a festival. Over enthusiasm observed in the capital indicates that people are not giving much importance in maintaining social distance. In every area tea shops, grocery stores are seen with gathering of the people. City dwellers are roaming the streets somewhere in groups.
Such pictures were seen in some streets in the Mohammadpur area of the capital on Thursday (April 2).
There were huge gathering of rootless people to get relief goods in front of Suchana Community Center and Japan Garden City located on Shaymoli Ring Road. In addition to the relief seekers many have come out of the house to roam and chat.
On the other hand, there is a huge crowd in the kitchen market. No fear was seen in the eyes of the people anywhere from the vegetable store to the fish market at Mohammadpur Krishi market. The locals are doing market without face masks or any other protective measures. They are flouting so many instructions of the government to maintain social distance.
In the fish market, local councilor Salimullah Solu has installed a hand wash but buyers and sellers have been ignoring it. Although some people have masks on their faces but no masks on the seller's face at all.
So what is the point of securing yourself? The person with whom I take vegetables or fish is not safe. The virus can be infected from there.
Mohammadpur resident Haider Ali said the directive to maintain social distance was not properly obeyed.
I reside in Adabar road no. 10, he told barta24.com. There are crowds of people in every tea shop in the street. No one is coming to see. Police not even the Army, no one to watch. And how long do you keep watching if people are not aware?
Haider Ali also said that the vegetable shop that I am buying in the market does not have any security measures. He has no gloves in his hand, no mask on his face. Now the market is urgently needed. But is preventive measures are being flouted randomly.
People in large numbers gathered in old Dhaka at the announcement of relief distribution of Mayor Saeed Khokon.
Distribution of food items in various areas of the capital is pushing people around. One such picture can be seen at a house on Shaikher Tek, Road 6. A large number of people have heard that relief goods are being provided there. Many are sitting in the street without relief. The way people hang in the gate of the house, if someone carries the virus, the entire building will be at risk.
Afsaruddin, son of the owner of the house told the people now there is nothing else. Why are you just crowding? Get out of here.
Even then there was a crowd of people hoping for relief. This picture is not just here. In the old Dhaka, where the mayor of Dhaka South City Corporation gave relief supplies there was a huge crowd.
Conscious people think that the risk of corona is increasing in the way people ignore all obstacles and get out on the streets.