Finally they join work

A great many workers of the export-oriented industries joined their factories on Sunday after a long arduous journey from the far flung areas of the country amid strict lockdown imposed by the government on July 23 soon after the Eid-ul-Azha to contain the surge of Covid-19. 

They had to flout lockdown guidelines to reach their work destinations following government's decision to resume operations of the export-oriented factories fearing the loss of their jobs. Their suffering knew no bounds due to conspicuous absence of transportations on the roads because of ongoing lockdown. 

But government's decision to allow public transportations including launches, buses and other modes of transportations to ply came late when hundreds of thousands workers were already streaming into Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj, Ashulia and other surrounding areas of the city to join their work places.  

Meanwhile, experts said that reopening of factories would exacerbate Covid situation further in the country.  Health Minister Zahid Maleque  expressed his apprehension on Sunday that the corona infection will rise further due to reopening of factories and industries amid ongoing lockdown.

Meanwhile, the workers took their long and difficult journeys to get back to their workplaces as public transport remained suspended due to the lockdown. They walked miles for miles or moved on in hired auto-rickshaws, motorbikes, goods-laden vehicles in their desperate bid to join work. Buses started plying roads from early Sunday and people were seen entering the capital through Gabtoli, Abdullahpur, Mohakhali, Sayedabad, Postagola and Babubazar point by bus or on foot.

Akhter Hossain, a traffic inspector (Uttara), said “As the government declared the reopening of factories from Sunday so we allowed the public transport to enter the capital since morning. No transport will be allowed to go outside.”

Public transport from the adjacent districts of Dhaka, including Mymensingh, Tangail and Manikganj districts, were seen entering the capital, he said.

However, the number of long-haul vehicles was hardly seen on the roads.

Asaduzzaman, a traffic inspector (Mohakhali), said, “We’re checking the buses moving on the streets whether they’re following health guidelines.”

Besides, the checking of private vehicles is going on like the other days, he added.

The launch services also resumed on Sunday morning. The launch owners claimed that they started launch operations late due to a shortage of passengers.

Light traffic congestion was seen on Dhaka-Tangail-Bangabandhu Bridge due to pressure of Dhaka-bound vehicles. Besides, highway police are working to control the situation.

According to reports, workers started returning to their workplaces without maintaining proper health protocols. Besides, public transports were seen picking up the workers and also other commuters on the road in Gazipur.

While contacted, M Farid Ahmed, general manager of human resources, admin and compliance at Dekko Garments Limited in Sreepur, said in total 2,300 people were working in the factories.

"We have been maintaining the health rules regarding wearing masks, using hand sanitizers, and social distancing to prevent coronavirus infection," he said.

"Since the last lockdown, we are following the guidelines strictly to contain transmission in our factories," he added.

Gazipur City Traffic Deputy Commissioner Abdullah Al Mamun said they have been monitoring whether people are following the strict restrictions. Police are vigilant in the areas so that there would be no traffic jam on the roads, he added.