Dhaka gets quieter with less crowds on streets

The streets of Bangladesh’s capital Dhaka, a city of 20 million people, are wearing a deserted look after the closure of educational institutions following the detection of coronavirus cases in the country, reports UNB.

After the unscheduled closure of the educational institutions, including schools, colleges and universities and even coaching centres, many students have started leaving the capital, making it quitter unlike its usual bustling.

The presence of vehicles, including public and private ones, was very thin, removing the everyday traffic chaos.

“It took just 15 minutes for me to reach Malibagh from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in my bike as there’s no traffic jam anywhere on the streets,” said Javed Hasnain Chowdhury, a photojournalist.

The city roads are relatively free as many people stayed indoors as directed by the government amid the growing coronavirus concerns.

City dwellers usually make the best of any holiday for going to shopping malls, markets, food courts, restaurants and amusement parks along with family members.

“It took just 15 minutes for me to reach Malibagh from Hazrat Shahjalal International Airport in my bike as there’s no traffic jam anywhere on the streets,” said Javed Hasnain Chowdhury, a photojournalist.

The city roads are relatively free as many people stayed indoors as directed by the government amid the growing coronavirus concerns.

City dwellers usually make the best of any holiday for going to shopping malls, markets, food courts, restaurants and amusement parks along with family members.

However, the scenario was completely different on Tuesday though it was a public holiday on the occasion of the birth centenary of Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman and the National Children’s Day.

It was found during visits that the number of visitors was much fewer in the city’s shopping malls like Bashundhara City Shopping Complex, Jamuna Future Park, Mouchak market, Gausia market, New Market, Uttara Mascot Plaza, Twin Tower Concord Shopping Complex and Karnaphuli Garden City Shopping Complex.

Nurul Amin Chowdhury, owner of a food shop at Shwapno Food Court in Uttara Sector-3, said the number of visitors started declining after the detection of first three coronavirus patients in the country on 8 March.

“As the government on Monday announced the shutdown of all educational institutions to prevent the spread of coronavirus, parents, who used to visit our food court for having lunch or dinner especially during general holidays, didn’t turn up today,” he said.

The presence of visitors declined by 80 per cent compared to other general holidays in the past, Nurul added.

Masudul Hoque, a resident of Bashundhara Residential Area, said he used to go on an outing along with his wife and three daughters to any amusement spot or restaurant for passing time and taking lunch or dinner. “But, we didn’t go outside today (Tuesday) as the government has already directed for avoiding public gathering to prevent the further spread of coronavirus,” he said.

Traffic Police Inspector Asad, who was on duty at Shantinagar, said the number of people on streets was very thin compared to other holidays.

The traffic movement was also very smooth as city dwellers preferred to stay indoors for coronavirus fears, he said. Bangladesh on Tuesday confirmed the detection of two more coronavirus patients, taking the total number of cases to 10.

According to the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research (IEDCR), one of them is from Italy who was quarantined and another is from the US who was hospitalised earlier with coronavirus symptoms.

On 8 March, the IEDCR announced for the first time the detection of three COVID-19 patients in Bangladesh.

Of them, two were Italy-returnees while the third one was the wife of one of them. However, all of them have already recovered from the disease.

On 14 March, health minister Zahid Maleque said two more coronavirus cases were detected in the country.

On Monday, the IEDCR announced the detection of three more patients from the same family.