No bus is being allowed to leave or enter Dhaka since this morning as the government has suspended operations of all long-route buses from the capital to curb the spread of coronavirus.

Police are barring the vehicles, setting check-posts at Dhaka's adjacent areas.

Vehicles carrying daily essentials or RMG workers and ambulances carrying patients are out of the purview of the restriction.

While talking to The Daily Star this morning, Suvenkar Ghosh, joint secretary of Bangladesh Bus Truck Owners' Association, said that long-distance bus operations are suspended as per government instruction.

As the instruction came in late last night, many drivers and commuters were not well-informed about it. So, a number of Dhaka-bound vehicles are still on the road and are being barred by the law enforcers at many points, Suvenkar said. 

Our photojournalist Palash Khan, who visited Savar in the morning, said there was traffic congestion from Gabtoli to Hemayetpur as police have been barring vehicles on the road and making them take U-turn.

Many people were seen walking in rain to reach their destinations.

Some of them said they did not know about the government decision and many said they have to reach Dhaka as they have medical emergencies.

Our Gazipur correspondent said, Dhaka and Gazipur-bound buses are being barred at Joinabazar U-turn, the bordering area between Gazipur and Mymensingh. 

While visiting Joinabazar in Gazipur's Sreepur, our correspondent found that passengers are suffering immensely in the rain, waiting for vehicles.

Md Wali Ullah, from Karua Fulbaria of Mymensingh's Nandail, started for a cancer hospital in Dhaka in a bus along with his father Md Ruhul Amin, a cancer patient. But police asked the bus to take a U-turn from Zamirdia area of Mymensingh around 7:00am. 

"Today is the scheduled date for chemotherapy for my father. We have to reach Dhaka by whatever means," he said.

Another commuter, Taslima Akter along with her two children started from Myemnsingh for Gazipur's Board Bazar but they were asked to get off the bus at the U-turn. She said she didn't know how she will reach her destination, around 30 km off the spot.

Md Sohel, a driver of Soukhin Paribahan, said they had been allowed to ply vehicles amid restriction but today they were not allowed to enter Dhaka.

The photo was taken from Joinabazar, Gazipur. Photo: Star
RMG worker Md Ruhul Amin boarded a bus from Mymensingh's Trishal for Gazipur Hotapara as he did not know about the restriction on long-distance transport.

Md Kamal Hossain, in-charge of the highway Police, said they set up check post at Joinabazar. As per the government instruction, they are stopping public transports there, he said.

It will continue until further order, he said.