As the government had announced to reopen the mills and factories amid the strict lockdown imposed following the global pandemic due to Covid-19, thousands of people from Jhenaidah, Jashore, Chuadanga, Meherpur and some other surrounding districts have been rushing at Jhenaidah to avail the transports locally available in the areas.
It has increased the sufferings of the people when the passenger bus and other means were remaining off the roads during the lockdown till August 5. The people who had already left houses with the family members, are compelled to spend five to six times as the mini transports like easy bike, mahidra, nosimon and some other unauthorized wheelers had taken the responsibility to deliver the passengers anyway.Abdur Rahman, Nimai Das, Shamsuddin Sheikh of Jashore Sadar, Naimuddin Biswas of Meherpur and Sailendra Saha of Chuadanga when contacted at Jhenaidah central bus terminal with their family members, said as the government had announced reopening of the mills and factories on Sunday, they have left the houses to attend the office so that they should not loss the jobs anyway. They said usually they were spending Taka 150 to 220 to arrive at Daulatdia ferry ghat on buses, while the local transport owners have been claming Taka 600 each. They will have to spend similar amount of money on the way, they said.
The travelers said it was not a wise decision to reopen the mills and factories until and unless the strict lockdown is withdraw throughout the country. It was simply the sufferings of the working people as they have to arrive at respective workplace before reopening the works stations.
District traffic inspector in Jhenaidah Salah Uddin when contacted said huge people along with their family members have started rushing the bus terminals and other spots since the morning of Saturday to avail the local transports to arrive Dhaka or other areas for job purposes risking their lives. Further, they were compelled to spend additional money for transports when the buses and other passengers’ vehicles went off the roads following strict lockdown.