People rushed onto roads in Dhaka on Wednesday, creating chaos and traffic congestion as authorities relaxed the curfew for seven hours in trouble-hit Dhaka, Gazipur, Narayanganj, and Narsingdi districts.
Offices reopened for curtailed hours, while factories also reopened as an uneasy calm prevailed amid a heavy police presence on the streets.
The government on Tuesday announced the relaxation of curfew hours from 10:00am to 5:00pm on Wednesday in trouble-hit districts and reopened offices from 10:00am to 3:00pm.
Many long-route buses left the terminal, some before relaxed curfew hours, while a significant number of city buses, many CNG-run auto rickshaws, and motorbikes were seen plying on the roads throughout the day.聽
Employees of some private companies and non-government organisations alleged that they were forced to work until 4:00pm defying government instructions.聽
Bangladesh Railway announced that it would resume train services on the Dhaka-Tongi and Dhaka-Narayanganj routes on Thursday.
Railway services on other routes would resume gradually, said officials, adding that Tongi and Narayanganj-bound trains would make two trips between 10:00am and 5:00pm.聽
The government imposed a curfew and deployed an army on Friday midnight as protests for quota reform in public services turned violent in Dhaka as elsewhere in the country.
Quoting home minister Asaduzzaman Khan, the United News of Bangladesh reported on Wednesday that the curfew would be withdrawn as soon as possible.聽
The minister said that the government did not want to continue the curfew, but it was imposed due to attacks carried out on police stations and key state-owned establishments.
At least 163 deaths were confirmed by 抖阴精品 correspondents between July 16 and July 24 from hospital and police sources.
They include the deaths of five people who succumbed to their injuries while undergoing treatment at Dhaka Medical College Hospital and Enam Medical College in Savar between Tuesday midnight and Wednesday.
Of the fresh victims, three died at DMCH and two at Enam Medical College in Savar.
The victims are Shuvo Shis, 24, and Tuhin Ahmed, 23, who died at Enam Medical; Riya Gope, six; Shahjahan, 22, and Sajedur Rahman, 22, who died at DMCH.聽
Against the backdrop, the chief of army staff, General Wakar-uz-Zaman, on Wednesday inspected the activities of army personnel deployed in Sherpur and Narsingdi districts, Bangladesh Sangbad Sangstha reported.
During his visit to Narsingdi, the army chief inspected the damaged 鈥筃arsingdi District Jail,鈥� the BSS said, quoting a press release from Inter-Services Public Relations.
State minister for Posts, Telecommunications, and ICT Zunaid Ahmad Palak said that broadband internet services could be fully restored across the country by Wednesday night.
Youths were seen playing cricket, shops were opened, street vendors were seen, and many people were also seen roaming in roads and alleys in the city鈥檚 Elephant Road, Banglamotor, Sonargaon, and Azimpur even after 5:00pm.
Commuters suffered immensely due to traffic gridlock in most of the places in the city, including Shahbagh, Dhanmondi, Mohakhali, Bangshal, Gulistan, Malibagh, Moghbazar, Tejgaon, Green Road, Farmgate, Mirpur, Pallabi, Sayedabad, Motijheel, Kalyanpur, Banani, Shymoli, Mohammadpur, and Uttara areas.
Huge traffic congestion was also seen on Old Dhaka鈥檚 Johnson Road, Nazimuddin Road, Agamasi Lane, and Patuatuli Road.聽
Law enforcement agencies blocked some roads, including the Dhaka University campus, Ganabhaban, Sangsad Bhaban, and Bangladesh Bank areas, contributing to traffic congestion, commuters said.
Anupam Saha, a resident of Hatirpool, went to Uttara to his office in the morning, facing immense suffering.
鈥業 reached my office after a long walk before I could finally hire a CNG-run auto-rickshaw,鈥� he said.
Dhaka Metropolitan Police鈥簊 additional commissioner for traffic Md Munibur Rahman, said that traffic congestion was created due to the closure of Metro Rail, Elevated Motorway, and lack of public transport.
鈥楢 huge number of private cars ran on roads due to short office hours,鈥� he said, adding that some roads were closed in different areas, aggravating the situation.
The Dhaka Elevated Expressway is closed due to damage it suffered during violent demonstrations.
The metro rail authorities closed service on July 20 considering public safety and the damages it suffered.
The Metro Rail stations in Mirpur 10 and Kazipara had been vandalised and were set on fire, authorities said.
Vehicular movement on the Dhaka Elevated Expressway had been closed for an indefinite period as the toll plazas at Banani and Mohakhali, were set on fire on July 18 and 19, respectively, said the DEE project director AHM Shakhawat Akhtar.聽
Dhaka Metropolitan Police, which banned the movement of motorcycles inside the capital for an indefinite period on July 20, lifted the restriction, said DMP traffic chief Munibur.
A large number of buses were seen leaving Sayedabad Bus Terminal on Wednesday for different destinations during the curfew period.
Noakhali-bound bus company Himaloy Paribahan operated its buses from 6:00am even though a curfew was in place at that time.
鈥極ur 14 buses left Dhaka from 6:00am to 2:00pm today,鈥� said Himaloy Paribahan countermaster Mizanur Rahman.
Asked about the violation of the curfew, Sayedabad Bus Terminal Owners Association president Abul Kalam said that they had instructed all bus owners to follow the curfew, but they might have allowed some buses to depart due to emergency situations or ailing passengers.聽
鈥笽 heard that people were also running private cars on highways,鈥� he said.
A good number of people were seen waiting for hours at the Sadarghat Launch Terminal on Wednesday afternoon to reach their destination, but no launch departed the terminal till 1:30pm.
Mohammad Jamal, a resident of Tazumuddin upazila in Bhola district, was found sitting at the pontoon of Sadarghat at about 1:15pm like many others.
He said that he was stuck in Dhaka for nine days due to student protests and a curfew.
鈥業 came to Sadarghat at about 8:00am. But no launch on my route departed until 4:00pm. I have to go home and will now get Bhola via Barishal by bus,鈥� he told 抖阴精品.
In the Sadarghat at about 1:30pm, only one Chandpur-bound launch was seen preparing to leave full of passengers.
Bangladesh Inland Water Transport Authority joint director Alamgir Kabir said that only eight launches departed for a short distance between 10:00am and 5:00pm.
鈥楢n Ilisha-bound launch also departed the terminal due to the pressure of passengers from Bhola district. We have not received any instructions from the ministry, but we could allow launches to depart when the curfew would remain relaxed,鈥� Alamgir said.