A large number of people in the capital Dhaka and other parts of the country are still roaming around ignoring the government instructions to stay home to prevent the spread of coronavirus disease, which has claimed at least six people and infected 56 others in Bangladesh.
Law enforcers said they are struggling to make people stay at home in the government’s efforts to contain the deadly disease (COVID-19), but cannot make it completely. They said the flouting of the restrictions on public movement may frustrate the government efforts and pose risk of spread of coronavirus.
The government has announced public holidays until April 11 with instructions to stay at home due to the coronavirus outbreak. Movement of transports like bus, train and launch and even air flights have been suspended. All the offices of government, non-government and private organisations have been closed.
But dodging the eyes of the personnel from the Bangladesh Army, Bangladesh Police and other forces, people are found gathering at different markets, mosques, playgrounds and roaming on the city roads desperately. According to witnesses, private transports are seen moving on almost all the city roads while shops at most of the markets are found open. Some of the intersections and markets are seen overcrowded with transports and people.
They said many of the people are found roaming without any valid reason. However, the Armed Forces have intensified activities to implement and execute the government orders and instructions regarding the restrictions on public movement. Meanwhile, the activities of distribution of relief materials have added risk of spreading the virus and infection as hundreds of people seeking relief materials are roaming around.
They are not using safety equipment and maintaining any kind of social distance. Accordingly, those who are distributing the relief materials are also not maintaining the rules and instructions. Army and police officers, who are deployed to maintain the government rules and instructions, said they were trying their best so that people obeyed the rules and followed the instructions.