The government’s fresh weeklong restrictions on public movement and businesses were ignored in many places in the capital as elsewhere in the country on the first day on Monday.

The government on Sunday issued an 11-point instruction banning operations of all modes of public transport, including domestic flights, across the country effective from 6:00am Monday to contain the second wave of the COVID-19 infections.

Public health and rights activists alleged that the restriction was ‘unplanned’ and ‘unrealistic’, which is likely to fail in containing the virus infection in the absence of its proper enforcement and awareness among the wider public against the deadly virus.

Amid the suspension of services of public transports on roads, waterways and railways, commuters suffered reaching offices and other businesses, which continued as usual, as they were forced to use alternative means of transportation.

Commuters paid much more than usual to reach their destinations.

However some buses ran in the capital at some places flouting the government restrictions.

Rickshaws, CNG-run auto-rickshaws, motorcycles and cars dominated the roads of the capital like elsewhere in the country while people gathered on roads flouting the basic rule of maintaining social distancing.

Some people were seen roaming around roads and other places without wearing masks.

Hundreds of people from Dhaka on the day thronged the Shimulia ferry terminal for crossing the River Padma to go to the southern districts via Banglabazar for the third consecutive day. Agitated people vandalised an ambulance at the terminal demanding more ferries as only around two ferries operated to clear the congestion created in the area as too many vehicles were waiting to cross the river since the previous night.

Long queues of service seekers were found at different bank branches.

Following the restrictions, the ministries concerned imposed a ban on the movement of buses, passenger vessels and passenger trains for one week period starting from Monday.

Since morning, in Dhaka, people were seen heading for their offices by rickshaws, CNG-run auto-rickshaws, motorcycles, cars and even by pick-up and rickshaw vans in the absence of buses and minibuses on roads.

In the Rayerbagh area in Jatrabari some buses ran in the morning with standing passengers while people also travelled on pick-up vans.

‘Not all offices are providing transports to carry their employees,’ said a private service holder from Moghbazar area, adding, ‘I am going to office at Mohakhali by rickshaw.’

People gathered in areas including Dhanmondi, Science Lab, Elephant Road, Mirpur, Uttara, Rampura, Banasree, Khilgaon, Shahbag, Banglamotor, Moghbazar and Karwan Bazar and Panthapath, looking for alternative modes of transport while traffic congestion was seen in Uttara and Jatrabari areas.

Rickshaw became the main mode of transport in the capital on the day while they charged higher than usual fares.

Many people hired CNG-run auto-rickshaws on share while the drivers denied running on meters, some passengers alleged.

Few motorcyclists were seen carrying pillion riders while many people walked to their short-haul destinations.

Some police barricades were found on many major roads and at some places police members urged people on the public address system to follow the health regulations.

A RAB mobile court, led by executive Palash Kumar Bosu, fined 25 people Tk 10,000 for breaching of guidelines, including not wearing masks and for roaming around the city without any reason.