Coronavirus hotspots in Dhaka’s Wari prepare for lockdown

The residents of certain areas flagged as coronavirus red zones with high infection rates and deaths in Dhaka’s Wari are set to be housebound for 21 days from Saturday. 

Sumon Mahmudbdnews24.com
Published : 3 July 2020, 01:39 PM
Updated : 3 July 2020, 01:39 PM

Tipu Sultan Road, Jahangir Road, the Dhaka-Sylhet Highway portion from Baldha Garden to Joy Kali Temple, Larmini Road, Hare Road, War Road, Rankin Road and Nawab Road – all under ward 41 of Dhaka South City Corporation- will go into the lockdown at 6am.

The authorities were setting up bamboo barricades and banners announcing the lockdown at the 21 entrances of the Wari red zones on Friday, when Bangladesh reported 42 new virus deaths, taking the toll to 1,968, and a rise in caseload by 3,114 to 156,391 in 24 hours.

No one will be allowed outdoors without emergency reasons in these areas until Jul 25. Offices, workplaces, places of worship and shops will remain shut.

Those residing in the areas with workplaces in other parts of the city will also be under the purview of the holiday.

Wari had long been considered Dhaka’s upscale district. The streets are wider than the other areas in Old Dhaka. It has some shopping malls, showrooms of different firms. The streets were almost empty a day before the lockdown.    

As the authorities will allow only pharmacies to open during the lockdown, the residents rushed to buy groceries, vegetables and other essentials.

“It appears serious. No one will be allowed to even walk on the streets,” said banker Nabil Ahmed, a resident of Tipu Sultan Road.

He recalled that the nationwide lockdown in the form of general holiday for 66 days from Mar 26 was lacklustre.

The locals will be able to shop online and the commodities will be sent to their homes under special arrangements.

Debashish Roy, a resident of Rankin Street, said volunteers had come and told the locals to call them via phone if they need anything urgently.

The Army, along with the police and other law-enforcing agencies, will patrol the areas. The authorities have set up a control room for the city corporation and the police near Baldha Garden.

There will also be a kiosk to collect samples from suspected COVID-19 patients. They will be kept isolation at the city corporation’s Mahanagar General Hospital if test positive.

“Our preparations are at the final stages to begin the lockdown early in the morning,” said Sarwar Hasan Alo, the local ward councillor.