People pack ferries to return to Dhaka as govt eases shutdown ahead of Eid

NEWS DESK

People have begun flooding back into Dhaka after the government relaxed the shutdown over coronavirus with the Eid-ul-Fitr approaching.

The Kathalbari-Shimulia route was packed with Dhaka-bound ferries overcrowded by travellers risking infection at a time when the country is grappling with coronavirus crisis.

A total of 17 ferries carry passengers across the River Padma on this route, but all the vessels are not in operation at the moment, causing the ones running to be overwhelmed.

Similar sights were observed at the Madaripur-Kathalbari docks.

Following the BGMEA’s decision to reopen apparel factories in the last week of April, FT reports, scores of workers began to swarm back towards Dhaka, Narayanganj and Gazipur from all over the country, desperately looking for a way to revive income streams amid lockdown. The government has also decided to reopen the shopping malls from May 10.

On the arrival of a ferry at Shimulia from Kathalbari, along with the vehicles on board, hundreds of people poured out of it. With buses hard to find in Shimulia dock, these people were catching autorickshaw, pickups, motorcycles, taxi cabs, microbuses and other means of transport to reach their destination.

“The Dhaka-bound passengers were fewer in the last two days, but their number has risen from Tuesday morning,” said Sirajul Kabir, in charge of the Mawa River Police outpost on Tuesday. “On reaching the Shimulia dock by ferries, they are rushing towards their destination by any means.”

“Today, however, it’s not just apparel factory workers; we have shop owners and employees, business owners, jobholders and people from all spheres rushing towards Dhaka. Maybe it's because of the government’s announcement on the reopening of markets.”

AGM Shafiqul Islam of Shimulia dock said three ferries operate on the route at daytime and six vessels at night. These are operational for emergency crossings.

“More ferries have been pressed into service at night for cargo trucks. People are using these vessels to get across the river as other water transports have been kept shut.”

Bangladesh detected 786 COVID-19 cases in a 24-hour count to Tuesday morning in the biggest jump, taking the tally of infections to 10,929.

Another man died from the virus in the 24 hours to 8:00am on Tuesday, bringing the body count to 183, said DGHS Additional Director General Nasima Sultana.