Violations of health regulations on public transports continued across the country especially on waterways on Monday since the resumption of inter-district transport services after a 48-day pause to prevent the spread of the novel coronavirus.

Though the number of the launch, train and bus passengers was low on the first day, people were seen ignoring social distancing norms while many also ignored the mandatory use of masks.

At the major launch terminals in Dhaka and Barishal, passengers were seen sitting next to each other on decks of the launches.

In Munshiganj people were seen boarding the small river vessels to cross the river Padma throughout the day paying little attention to the health guidelines while most vessels were seen packed beyond capacity.

People’s rush at most bus terminals was moderate like normal times while the number of railways passengers was lowest as only a small number of trains resumed services.

Earlier, the Bangladesh government on Sunday extended the Covid restriction on public movement and business activities till May 30 midnight from May 23 midnight, allowing all public transports, including those on inter-district routes, on conditions to resume services on Monday.

All transports were ordered to run at half capacity while passengers and staff must follow the Covid health rules including wearing masks.

The ban on public transports and the movement of people outside was first imposed on April 5 and was extended in phases to contain the severity of the coronavirus infections.

Experts fear that the relaxation of the restrictions may cause a further surge in cases of Covid-19 that has already killed 12,401 people and infected at least 7,90,581 so far since the deadly coronavirus was first detected in the country on March 8, 2020.

Launch services on all routes were resumed on the day at half capacity and 60 per cent increase in fares.

In the morning, many river vessels were seen parked at the Sadarghat terminal to start for various destinations including Barishal, Bhola and Monpura which were scheduled to start their journey in the evening.

Since afternoon, many people went to the terminal and boarded the vessels by washing hands before getting on the decks and entering the cabins.

On many decks no social distancing was maintained as passengers — mostly family members — were seen relaxing by sitting and sleeping right next to each other.

Many of them even took off their masks after boarding the vessels.

New Age correspondent in Munshiganj reported that following the resumption of river vessel services on the Shimulia-Bangabazar route pressure of passengers on foot transferred from ferries to launches.

On the day, 87 launches were seen carrying passengers while passengers were seen violating health regulations largely by crowding these vessels.

Men, women and children were standing next to each other on the small river vessels while many of them even did not care to wear masks.

Launch services also resumed on Munshiganj-Narayanganj route.

Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Corporation Shimulia terminal assistant manager Faisal Ahmed said that they operated 17 ferries on the route on the day which mainly carried vehicles.

New Age correspondent in Barishal reported that since noon Dhaka-bound passengers crowded the Barishal launch terminal to leave by four vessels.

The vessels were scheduled to leave the terminal around 9:00pm while since noon they remained berthed in the terminal area.

The inter-district bus services resumed on the day and buses were running at half capacity and charging fares at the government-set 60 per cent increased rate.

At Saidabad bus terminal in the capital, buses were seen leaving for destinations in Chattogram and Sylhet divisions with only a few passengers while some passengers complained that buses were not sanitised before the trips.

Shyamoli Paribahan Saidabad terminal general manager, Md Salim Reza, told New Age that the number of passengers coming from Chattogram and Sylhet was higher than the number of passengers leaving Dhaka for these destinations.

Till 1:00pm around 20 buses left the paribahan’s counter at Saidabad.

Hanif Paribahan’s Chattogram section manager Tanveer Ahmed said that 15 buses to Chattogram and four buses to Sylhet division routes left from the counter till 2:00pm.

The number of passengers was comparatively low considering the resumption of the service after 48 days, he added.

One Ziaur Rahman, who came with his wife at Hanif counter to travel to Moulavibazar, said that he came to Dhaka in May with his sick mother-in-law by renting a car at the cost of Tk 9,000.