It seems that we as a nation are very callous towards our health safety, given the waves of a several thousand people from Dhaka and some other northern districts bound for home districts in the south-western region hitting the Paturia and Shimulia Ferry terminals to cross the Padma River. At a time when the whole world is trembling in a pandemic – and Bangladesh is not spared from it too – the sense of hygiene among these homebound people can be questioned, obviously because of their obstinate mentality to go back homes at any cost on Eid. Although there are government restrictions in effect on public movements to control the virus spread, the citizens have little concern about it. Again, the authorities concerned, too, seem to be helpless in this regard. Have these homebound people or our authorities even once thought about how horrible the consequences could be? Meanwhile, we also see in various news reports that some long distance buses, microbuses and even trucks are transporting passengers to different destinations in the dark of the night. There is one thing in common between these two types of events: these people are going back to their relatives with an invisible enemy as deadly as the coronavirus, which could cause their loved ones or neighbours suffer or even die.
Just a few days later, Eid-ul-Fitr – one of the two biggest Muslim religious festivals – will be celebrated in the country. This is a very joyful occasion for every Muslim after a whole month of fasting. On this emotional day, everyone wants to share happiness with their loved ones. And there is nothing wrong with that. But when an epidemic breaks out in a region, no one should come to or go away from that place. It increases the possibility of preventing the spread of the epidemic. The terrible state of neighbouring India is a significant example in this case. They have shown extreme reluctance to observe the hygiene rules in organising elections or celebrating various religious festivals. They are suffering the consequences now. The number of Covid infections in the country is breaking records every day. The number of daily deaths is also increasing terribly. It is pathetic as we have failed to learn lessons from them.
The actual problem lies with our callous mentality to a pandemic. We see a widespread relaxation at controlling the entry and exit points of every district. And people are taking that opportunity. Most of the country’s entry and exit points remain uncontrolled during the pandemic. It is a serious concern for public health. If these points are not controlled at once, there is a risk of a major health catastrophe in the second wave of infection. Hence, there is no alternative but to think deeply about the issue and take actions accordingly. Meanwhile, the good news is that local administrations have deployed Border Guard Bangladesh (BGB) members at Ferry terminals to check the stream of people. We welcome the move but, at the same time, urge the authorities concerned that the situation must be controlled strongly. There is no scope to loosen any preventive measure. Or else, it loses its necessity.
The damage being caused by the pandemic is increasing all over the world. The only way to get rid of it is to create awareness, follow hygiene rules and get the Covid vaccine as soon as possible. If we do not realise the horrors of coronavirus and do not observe necessary health rules, including maintaining social distance, it is difficult to deal with this catastrophe.
