Anyone leaving home without sufficient cause during the weeklong lockdown from Thursday will be sued and may face arrest, says Md Shafiqul Islam, the chief of Dhaka Metropolitan Police.
“If we need to file 5,000 cases and arrests a day, we will,” the DMP commissioner said during a press conference in Dhaka on Wednesday, reports bdnews24.com.
The cases will be filed under Section 269 of the Penal Code, he said.
Private vehicles will not be allowed on the roads after the lockdown begins on Thursday, but rickshaws will be allowed to run, Islam said.
“People can purchase necessities from nearby bazaars and can use rickshaws to get about, if necessary,” he said.
Emergency service vehicles are allowed on the roads and those involved in healthcare and banking will be able to use government vehicles or private vehicles to travel, he said. Law enforcers may, however, check for identification when necessary.
Asked how factory workers would commute under these restrictions, Islam said factory owners can employ rickshaws, if necessary.
