FROM PAGE 1

Covid-19 hotspot.

It’s hard to believe a nationwide shutdown is in place, he said.

Robin Hasan, a private jobholder, went to an ATM booth in Moghbazar from his Eskaton home to withdraw money yesterday noon.

Talking to the correspondent later, he said, “I travelled on my motorcycle. For the first time since the shutdown began on March 26, I had to honk to get through people.”

DANGER LURKS

In the battle against the outbreak, police is one of the few government organisations that have witnessed a surge in infection numbers. Of the 953 infected, 449 work under the Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP).

Another 181 showed Covid-19 symptoms and currently are in isolation, while 1,162 others, who were in close contact with the infected patients, are in quarantine, according to data from the police headquarters (PHQ).

Talking to The Daily Star, an additional deputy police commissioner of the DMP said police personnel working in specialised branches like the anti-terrorism Unit, the counterterrorism unit and the Detective Branch were also getting infected, though they were not engaged in “corona duty”.

“Most of those infected live at barracks or police lines. As their living places are overcrowded, they get the infection from their colleagues,” he said.

The authorities have taken initiatives and tried to make some space in those barracks and police lines by making arrangements for some officials to sleep at hotels, school compounds, but some officials said it was already too late.

“The virus is spreading among our officials and other personnel,” said an official, wishing not to be named.

To reduce chances of police members being exposed to the coronavirus, police have brought changes to its manpower deployment.

An officer-in-charge of a police station in the DMP area, requesting anonymity, said they divided the station’s manpower into two groups. Each group works at the field for a week and stay in quarantine for the next week when the other group discharges duties.

Asked about PPE, the OC said they received some safety equipment but they were “totally inadequate”.

“We are trying to distribute that equipment among our officials and collect some safety gear like masks, hand gloves locally on our own,” he said.

Though police as a whole is exhibiting bravery in this crisis period, some of its field level officers, reportedly, were trying to avoid duty at crowded places, said sources.

Two more OCs of the DMP made similar statements.

Meanwhile, different units of Bangladesh Police have filed around 3,356 cases between March 26 and April 29 against 1,366 people and owners of 108 vehicles and 177 shops for not maintaining social distancing. During the same period, they collected a fine of Tk 49.12 lakh from them, shows PHQ data.

CROWD ON ROAD

Replying to a query, A DMP deputy commissioner said a huge number of people were coming out of their home to earn their livelihood, while some others were doing the same simply because they get bored with staying indoors for over a month, frustrating the very objective of the government-announced shutdown.

He also said police were working in a weekly roster system and that’s why the presence of the law enforcers was thin on road.

The law enforcers, however, continue ensuring action against those who were not following social distancing through eight mobile courts in DMP areas.

Sohel Rana, assistant inspector general at the PHQ, said the operations of mobile courts went in line with the magnitude of the corona situation in the country.

Replying to a question, he said they were trying to retain their mental strength by ensuring a safe place for accommodation and providing security equipment to their field level officers.

The state and the force would always stand beside those officials and their families, said the AIG.