All the government measures to prevent the rush of home-bound people in this critical period of the Covid-19 pandemic turned out to be fruitless, as a large number of people are leaving the capital ignoring the health safety protocols.
Seeing the mad rush of people, the government, as a last strategic tool to stop the exodus, suspended carrying vehicles via ferries, except ambulances and goods-laden ones, on Friday.
But passengers waiting on the wharf at Shimulia ferry ghat (landing station) in Munshiganj were forcibly getting on to the ferries engaged in emergency services and thus crossing the river.
Since early hours of the day, it was observed that thousands of homebound people in rickshaws and motorbikes thronged the exit points of Dhaka and other adjacent areas for getting into vehicles to go to their village homes.
Some were boarding the transports like private cars, trucks, lorries, pickup vans, human hauliers, speed boats and other modes of transports available to leave Dhaka, amid suspension of inter-city public transports.
But the most dangerous part of the pre-Eid exodus was mass violation of the Covid-related health guidelines. Some were not wearing masks properly. Some did not bother to wear masks.
Rabeya Akhter, who used to work as a domestic help in the city, said she would work at four families in the East Rampura area but lost her jobs due to the highly infectious viral disease.
"So, what would I do staying in an expensive city like Dhaka? That's why, I am leaving for Madaripur with my two daughters," she said.
Shahin, who used to ride rickshaw in the capital, said the government seemed to extend the hard lockdown till Eid-ul-Azha and income kept declining as lockdown forces people to stay indoors.
"And I have no relatives in the city with whom I can celebrate the Eid festival. So, I am leaving," he said.
However, the state-run Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority (BIWTA) suspended carrying vehicles, excepting ambulances and goods-laden ones.
BIWTA Director (commercial) SM Ashiquzzaman said they already had ordered the ghat (landing station) authority to comply with the latest instruction.
But vessels carrying patients and goods will be allowed to cross the rivers, he said.
The instruction came as part of the government's strategy to stop the spread of the virus to different corners of the country where the coronavirus situation deteriorates alarmingly these days.
Contacted, health rights activist Rashid-e-Mahbub expressed concern over mass violation of the lockdown rules.
The country is going to face two major events - cattle market and Eid-ul-Azha - where the risk of the viral infection will be much higher, he said.
"If we cannot properly manage the occasions, it will be devastating for us. I think the government needs to be strict to avoid the consequences," he added.
More people out and about on 9th day
Meanwhile, a significant number of people and private cars came outside on Friday, the ninth day of the ongoing countrywide hard lockdown.
As the day was a weekend, many people were seen at the kitchen markets, while many others were loitering around without specific valid reasons.
Many people admitted that they came outside for a mental relaxation as they were feeling bored due to their stay at home over the past few days.
While visiting different areas, including Kamalapur, Malibagh, Fakirapool, Gopibagh and Jatrabari, the FE correspondent found that a significant number of people were shopping at the kitchen markets.
Many of them were not wearing face masks and there was no physical distancing at the kitchen markets despite the government directives to follow the health safety protocol during the ongoing pandemic.
Talking to the FE, battery-run auto-rickshaw drivers said that they had no way but to come outside for their survival.
"I have no way but to come out on the roads with the auto-rickshaw for the survival of my family members," Md Hannan, an auto-rickshaw driver, told this correspondent in the city's Jatrabari area.
He said that he used to carry passengers from Jatrabari to the Signboard area using the alternative roads, not using the main road, to keep him and the passengers safe from police questioning.
A police official at Jatrabari check-post admitted that they sometimes allowed auto-rickshaws to ply the roads considering the bitter reality of their means of livelihood.
