Dhaka-Chattogram highway empty, cars being turned back
The Dhaka-Chattogram highway took on a vacant look on the first day of strict restrictions enforced to curb the spread of coronavirus. The law enforcement has taken up a strict stance at the checkposts along the highways. Any passenger buses that approach are being turned back. Cases are being filed against vehicles.
Passengers who have been on Eid holiday, are now suffering. Many of them have started off on foot.
A visit to the Siddhirganj Signboard area along the Dhaka-Chattogram highway today, Friday, found the road empty. There was no rush of passengers. BGB, RAB, highway police and district police have taken up position there since the morning. Cars are being searched at the DMP checkpost at the entrance to the capital city. Other than emergency transport, no vehicles are being allowed to enter the city. No one without a plausible reason is being allowed to enter and many passengers, finding no transport, are walking to the destinations.
Al Amin, a dying factory worker, had come to Narayanganj from Uttara with his wife and two children on Eid day. They started off for home Friday morning, but have found no transport. They are in a fix as they have to reach their home in Uttara by any means.
DMP traffic sergeant Mahmudul Hasan, speaking to Prothom Alo, said the only vehicles being allowed to enter the capital city are those carrying overseas passengers, hospital transport and night coaches that could not reach on time due to traffic jams or other unavoidable reasons. Cases are being filed against anyone trying to enter otherwise.
Passenger buses trying to enter the capital city are being halted at the Signboard area. Over 50 such buses were prevented from entering since the morning. These buses are carrying passengers from districts in the north.
Chattogram-bound passenger Yasmin Akhter said they had gone home to Dinajpur on 17 July for the Eid holiday. They boarded a Hanif Paribahan bus on Thursday at 5:00pm to go to Chattogram where her husband works. However, due to traffic congestion and checks along the way, they only managed to reach Signboard area at 11:30 Friday, where they were halted by the police.
Another bus passenger Md Hasan said he paid Tk 1,800 as fare when he boarded the bus at Dinajpur. They were stuck for a long time in traffic congestion in Bogura. The police stopped the bus at several places along the way and took money from the driver.
Bus driver Shariful Islam, speaking to Prothom Alo, said, “The police have stopped the bus at Signboard. If we got delayed because of the traffic jams, how is that our fault?”
Inspector of the Shimrail box of Kanchpur highway police, Omar Faruk, told Prothom Alo that they had allowed transport up till 6:00 in the morning. But after that, they had halted 50 to 60 buses. The buses were carrying passengers in violation of the restrictions. These buses were being halted and cases were being filed.
Executive magistrate of the Signboard area, Golam Mohammad Masum, told Prothom Alo that no transport is being permitted unless for emergencies. Already 30 cases had been filed for going out with no plausible excuse and not following the health regulations. The law enforcement has also taken up strict position at Chashara, Panchabati, Shimrail, Adamjee and other places.