People continue to leave Dhaka in goods-carrying vehicles
Many people continued to leave the capital by goods-laden vehicles risking their lives amid the 10-day public holiday and a countrywide ban on all modes of public transports from March 26.
On Sunday a huge number of people were seen on their way to different northern and southern-west districts by trucks, pick-up vans and ferries on Paturia-Daulatdia water route.
Most of these people were workers from apparel factories while some of them said that they were leaving Dhaka as they had no work at present. While the outflux continued, at least six people were killed and 10 injured when a cement-laden truck overturned on Dhaka-Tangail highway in Kandhila area under Tangail Sadar upazila on Saturday.
The government announced a 10-day public holiday and slapped a ban on all public transports, except goods carrying vehicles and restricting all public gatherings to check the spread of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19).
On March 24, road transport and bridges minister Obaidul Quader reminded the drivers of goods carrying vehicles not to carry passengers illegally.
New Age correspondent in Tangail reported that hundreds of people were seen journeying back home, especially to the northern districts, by trucks and pickup vans on the Dhaka-Tangail national highway between 11:30am to 1:30pm on the day.
Motaleb, a truck driver told New Age that, he was carrying people from Dhaka to different districts of North Bengal by charging Tk 100 to Tk 500 per person.
Rafiqul Islam, a rickshaw-puller working in Dhaka, said that he along with 20 of his acquaintances rented a pickup for Tk 6,000 to reach their homes in Bogura as there was no work in the capital right now.
Officer-in-charge of Elenga highway police outpost inspector Kamal Hossen said that they were looking the other way on humanitarian grounds ‘although we were trying to stop people from travelling by goods-laden trucks’.
New Age correspondent in Manikganj reported that since morning a huge number of people were seen coming from Dhaka at Paturia ferry terminal area to cross the river Padma while they were on their way to the south-western districts.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation general manager (commercial) SM Ashiquzzaman told New Age that on the day at Aricha ferry sector area there were pressures of people coming from Dhaka since morning.
New Age correspondent in Bogura reported that on the day people continued to arrive from Dhaka by different goods-laden vehicles amid the ban on public transports. (Source: New Age)
