Post-lockdown insanity amid homebound rush

We've been here before. We've seen lockdown come and go with the same arbitrariness with which most decisions on this land are taken. We've seen how lockdown rules were relaxed, nay forgotten, ahead of every Eid festival, and how the state outsourced its duty to curb the spread of coronavirus to the citizens, resulting in devastating consequences. So the chaos that has ensued after the latest round of "strict lockdown" was lifted on Thursday is not surprising. But it doesn't take away the pain of seeing a familiar cycle repeat itself and the resulting sense of impending doom.

It's not just the insane homebound rush that worries us. Malls, streets and all public spaces in the cities are also overflowing with people, trying to make up for time lost in lockdown. Heavy traffic jams were reported at major intersections. At the exit points of the capital Dhaka, the scene is equally chaotic. According to our reports, thousands of people left Dhaka on buses, trains and launches, and thousands more will do as the Eid-ul-Azha nears. All modes of public transport were supposed to carry passengers at 50 percent capacity to minimise Covid-19 transmission—a directive few appear to be following. People crossing the Padma on crowded ferries were also seen to be flouting rules of mask wearing and physical distancing. Many passengers alleged that bus operators were overcharging, while others complained about scarcity of tickets. Long tailbacks were also reported on the highways.

All this comes at a time when we are witnessing record highs in cases of Covid-19 infections and deaths. On Thursday, the country witnessed the second-highest single-day death toll of 226, with the daily positivity rate at 27.23 percent. It is consistent with the rising trend of infections seen over the previous two/three weeks. Experts have warned that relaxation of lockdown rules could lead to a starker situation than what we saw in the aftermath of Eid-ul-Fitr in mid-May, when a similar relaxation led to a spike in infections. The danger this time is the presence of the more contagious and deadlier Delta variant of the coronavirus, which is already wreaking havoc all over the country, especially in the border districts. Imagine the disaster it will spell when large numbers of people gather and freely mix, as they already are doing, in those districts without any effective checks on their movement or violation of rules. Imagine the effect it will have on our already overwhelmed health system.

   Perhaps a blanket nationwide lockdown is not the ideal solution for a country with fragile economic foundations, and we understand the practical necessities that led to the temporary lifting of lockdown ahead of Eid. But there can be no excuse for failing to ensure that those in public transport follow the 50-percent-capacity rules or other injunctions. Even the health minister, not one known for admitting failure, has said that the healthcare system will "collapse" if we don't strictly follow guidelines. But expecting the public and responsible entities to abide by rules without any effective mechanism to ensure their compliance cannot be accepted. The government must do more, much more, to enforce its own rules to minimise the damage of lockdown relaxation.