Thousands of people have gathered at Munshiganj’s Shimulia ferry port after the announcement of a lockdown in Dhaka and its surrounding districts.
Fifteen of the 16 ferries on the Shimulia-Banglabazar route started operating on Sunday morning due to the growing rush of travellers to southern Bangladesh, said BIWTC Shimulia Port Manager Mohammad Faisal.
“Despite our best efforts, we haven’t been able to diminish the crowds,” he said.
Alongside the freight trucks and emergency service vehicles, passengers crowded the ferries in violation of health protocols to try and cross the Padma River.
The suspension of public transport has meant that travellers are being charged exorbitant fees on their way to their destinations. Rain has also waterlogged the connecting road to the No. 3 Pontoon, causing further difficulties.
Many travellers chose to travel to the port on foot.
Police checkpoints set up at different points on the road leading to the port are turning away vehicles and trying to dissuade travellers from going to the port, said Mawa traffic police chief Zakir Hossain.
The crowds on the Dhaka-Mawa Highway are larger than those in the past two days, he said.
Police have set up 20 checkpoints in the district, eight of which are in the district town and its surrounding areas.
Police say they are on the alert and taking strict measures to enforce the lockdown.
(Source : Bdnews24)
