A large number of people have started leaving Dhaka before the strict restrictions to curb the spread of novel coronavirus, are enforced from tomorrow (Friday).
Many of them couldn’t leave Dhaka earlier as they did not get leave, failed to avail transport and for other reasons. A lot of the people leaving Dhaka today, Thursday, are among those who will have no work or means of income during the restrictions. This was the situation at the Gabtali bus terminal from the morning till the afternoon.
Crowds thronged Gabtali bus terminal since Thursday morning. Many of them were travelling with their families. All the bus counters at the terminal remain open and under pressure of a burgeoning number of passengers.
Talking to a number of passengers, it was observed that since everything will remain closed during the "strictest restrictions" to date, they will have nothing to do in Dhaka. That is why they are off to the villages with their families. They will try to manage work in the villages to earn enough to get through.
Our showroom will be closed from tomorrow because of the restrictions. There is no use sitting idle that is why we are going to the village. We will look after the cropland there
Passenger Md Solaiman sells pants in the city’s sidewalks. He had been in business till the day before Eid and celebrated Eid in Dhaka with his family. Now he is at the Gabtali bus terminal with his wife and children. He is going to his village home in Faridpur.
Solaiman said, “The restrictions will be enforced again from tomorrow, so what will I do in Dhaka? I will return when the restrictions are lifted. In the meantime, I will try and do something in the village.”
Two brothers, Md Majid and Monir Hossain, are going to Dinajpur. They both work at a furniture showroom in Dhaka. They worked till the day before Eid and were in Dhaka for Eid. Today, Thursday, they are at the bus terminal to go to the village.
Majid said, “Our showroom will be closed from tomorrow because of the restrictions. There is no use sitting idle that is why we are going to the village. We will look after the cropland there.”
Double the number of people are leaving Dhaka today than are entering the city
Golden Line transport covers the Dhaka-Faridpur-Barishal-Bakerganj-Patuakhali-Amtali-Khepupara-Kuakata route. The Golden Line counter master Shah Alam said, “Double the number of people are leaving Dhaka today than are entering the city. The people are going to the village because of the 14-day restrictions.”
From 5:15am till 11:00am, 30 buses of the Golden Line transport company had left Gabtali, said Shah Alam. He said every bus was full with passengers.
Md Alam, counter master of Grameen Travels, that covers the Dhaka-Natore-Rajshahi-Chapai-Shibganj-Kansat route, said that many people were leaving the city today. The buses will start to leave from 12:15 in the afternoon. By 11:00am almost all the tickets had been sold. The seats were being filled before the scheduled time.
Alam said, “There is quite a traffic jam on this route, including at Bangabandhu Bridge. That is why our buses couldn’t reach Dhaka in time and none of our buses could leave for the destinations this morning. Once the buses arrive, four will leave, one after the other.”
The government is imposing strict restrictions from 6:00am 23 June till midnight 5 August. These will be ‘‘strictest restrictions,’‘ said state minister for public administration Farhad Hossain.