Few following, none monitoring

We're seeing more people on main thoroughfares wearing facemasks, but it should be ensured for everyone in every lane.

Dr Mahfuzur Rahman, convener of Public Health Rights Protection Committee, Chattogram

On the second day of the new 11-point health guidelines, people were seen roaming port city roads and riding public vehicles without adhering to the new regulations.

While visiting different roads on Thursday and yesterday, this correspondent saw many people roaming around without facemasks. Meanwhile, no one from the authorities were also found monitoring the areas to enforce the instructions.

This correspondent came across a youth, around 22 years of age, who got on a human haulier without wearing a facemask in Bahaddarhat area yesterday. Asked, he said although he had a mask on the first day of the new guidelines, he took it off after seeing almost no one else wearing it.

Mentioning that he's vaccinated, the youth also said he's less afraid to not wear one as there's no one from the authorities to hold him against it.

But not everyone is comfortable with the situation. Jamal Hossain, a schoolteacher from Raja Pukur Lane, said, "This is not safe for us. The government must find ways to enforce the guidelines."

Meanwhile, the infection rate in Chattogram keeps rising everyday, with yesterday's positive cases hitting 14.52 percent yesterday. A total of 296 cases were detected against 2038 samples tested yesterday, said Dr Elias Chowdhury, civil surgeon of Chattogram. The rate was 10 percent on Thursday, 12.4 percent on Wednesday and 9 percent on Tuesday, he said.

Contacted, Dr Mahfuzur Rahman, convener of Public Health Rights Protection Committee, Chattogram, said, "We're seeing more people on main thoroughfares wearing facemasks, but it should be ensured for everyone in every lane," he said. "We urge the government to involve community leaders in this regard."

Contacted, Mominur Rahman, deputy commissioner of Chattogram, said they are trying to involve community leaders in this campaign.

"The executive magistrates from District Administration will be on the road to conduct mobile courts from tomorrow (today), in a bid to enforce the government's instructions," he said.