Some places on self-imposed lockdown

Amid a gradual spread of Covid-19 cases, community groups in different areas in the capital are locking down streets and buildings by their own to ward off the looming crisis.

Bamboo barricades have been erected at the mouth of the streets and alleys in several areas while entry gates to many roads and passages were found to be locked in several areas, including Mohammadpur, Mirpur, Banasree, Niketan, Shantinagar, Dhanmondi and some parts of Old Dhaka.

Among 482 Covid-19 cases reported across the country until yesterday, 251 were from 67 areas in Dhaka city, which is about 52 percent of the total infection.

In such a situation, police are locking down the areas and buildings wherever any Covid-19 patients are found.

But in some areas, building owners and community leaders have stepped up to limit movement without waiting for police and administration.

Although many lauded the initiatives, some said it would hamper several emergency services, including the movement of ambulances, in those areas.

Building owners in Mohammadpur's Iqbal Road and Sir Syed Road have closed five out of six entrances in the area. Only one gate near Mohammadpur Post Office was found open.

Similar restrictions were seen in Lalmatia areas as the alleys were closed with bamboos.

There were notices at the gates asking people to wash their hands before entering the area.

A gate adjacent to Aarong was kept open for entry and another gate near Dhanmondi Road 16 (old 27) for the exit.

Rasel Shikder, a resident of Lalmatia, told this correspondent that they have initiated the restriction to create awareness in the locality.

The scenario seemed quite similar in Old Dhaka where community groups have beefed up restriction in several areas, including Lalbagh, Azimpur, Bangshal, Wari and Sutrapur.

Many building owners in Mirpur, Banasree, Niketan, Shantinagar and Dhanmondi areas have also restricted movement by their own initiative. Dwellers can't go outside without urgent needs.

No strangers, housemaids and guests are being allowed to enter some residential buildings, locals said.

Even courier services or deliverymen are being barred from entering the buildings.

"We are facing this trouble for the last few days," he said a deliveryman at Foodpanda.

The first lockdown in the capital was put in Mirpur's Uttar Tolerbagh area after a 73-year-old man died in Covid-19 on March 21. The next day, a local community group locked down the area by their own and restricted the movement.

According to the Institute of Epidemiology, Disease Control and Research, Tolarbagh is one of the hotspots for coronavirus in Dhaka and there are 19 Covid-19 patients now.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police put 54 areas under lockdown following the virus outbreak. All kinds of shops except pharmacies were kept shut.

Police said such initiatives from the community is laudable.

"It's good if the community becomes aware and goes into self-imposed lockdown to contain the virus outbreak. But we have to be careful so that no emergency service is hampered," Masudur Rahman, deputy commissioner (Media) of DMP, told The Daily Star.