Police held 425 more people in Dhaka Wednesday for violating lockdown restrictions on the 13th day of the countrywide strict lockdown aimed at reducing the Covid-19 contagion risk.
The arrestees failed to show any valid reason for being out on the streets, said DMP Additional Deputy Commissioner (Media) Iftekharul Islam said.
Meanwhile, mobile courts collected Tk376,800 in fines from 179 people.
Also, the Traffic Division collected Tk971,000 as penalties from 407 vehicles for violating lockdown restrictions.
However, the law enforcers scrambled to impose Covid-19 lockdown restrictions in Dhaka on Wednesday, as the capital witnessed some rush-hour traffic in the morning.
Though public transports stayed off city streets, police and armed forces personnel were seen flagging down several private cars and people they thought had stepped out for frivolous reasons.
Police imposed fines on commuters who failed to produce proper documents in support of their “emergency travel,” while those with valid papers were allowed to go. Many without supporting documents bridled at such restrictions, resulting in a heated exchange of words with the law enforcers.
Rapid Action Battalion and army personnel patrolling the streets of Dhaka, alongside the local police, have set up check-posts in different areas of the city.
At some places, traffic congestion was seen between 8.30am and 11.30am.
Traffic inspector Akther Hossain (Uttara Rajlaxmi), said: “The pressure of private vehicles is higher than that of Tuesday, but we are only allowing those with valid reasons to travel.”
“Cases are also being filed against violators. Mobile courts are also slapping fines on lockdown violators,” he said.
People’s movement has significantly risen as export-oriented industries have started operations, the inspector said.
“Ambulances and people going out for taking Covid jabs are being allowed to travel,” Akther added.
The nationwide lockdown scheduled to end on Aug. 5, has now been extended for another five days until Aug. 10 amid the onslaught of the Delta variant of Covid-19 across Bangladesh.
Source: United News of Bangladesh