Alarm bells ring of a COVID-19 outbreak as thousands of people are streaming into capital Dhaka as well as adjacent areas ahead of the Eid al-Fitr festival despite a slackened shutdown and widespread opportunities to work in the countryside in the current paddy harvesting time.

Using all kinds of available vehicles or even on foot, thousands of people, mostly from the lower income group, including garment workers, vendors, rickshaw-pullers and other small traders continued to stream towards the capital triggering fears that there may be an outbreak of coronavirus cases.

These groups of workers are gathering not only in Dhaka, but also in nearby areas of Gazipur, Narayanganj and Savar areas due to the upcoming Eid al-Fitr festival ignoring jobs in the countryside where there is a shortage of labour during the paddy harvesting time.

The extension of special coronavirus holiday until 16 May apparently forced these people to come out of their homes and seek jobs or aid.

“I do not have enough food and grocery items in stocked up to allow me to continue to stay at home for a long time,” said Abul Kalam, a day worker.

Though the general holiday could not confine these daily wage earners in their home, but it has dealt a heavy blow to their earnings.

Though the authorities are instructing the garment workers not to come from their rural homes, they have apparently a deaf ear and continued to join their workplace.

Hundreds of people, mostly readymade garment workers, are returning to their workplaces through Shimulia-Kathalbari route as some factories reopen amid a government-announced shutdown to curb the transmission of coronavirus.

They are coming to the terminal from southern part of the country by ferries and trawlers during the last several days.

“Most of them are RMG workers of Dhaka and Narayanganj,” informed sources said. The vessels were packed with people.

At Shimulia ferry terminal, people were hiring auto-rickshaws to reach their destinations. But there was not enough transportation for everyone because of government restrictions, forcing many to walk.

Over 700 garment factories reopened in the capital, Savar and Ashulia, and Sreepur on April 28.

Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) said the factories started production with limited workers, especially with those living near their factories.

The factories were shut temporarily to avoid the risk of coronavirus outbreak. But a number of RMG workers have tested positive in recent days.

Every year, farm workers from different regions, particularly from Rangpur, Rajshahi, Dhaka, and Barishal divisions, go to the haor areas to harvest boro before flash floods inundate the area by the end of April. The labourers then rush to the Chalan Beel area, other plain lands and Barind region for the same work.

Ali Hossain, a farmer of Chalan Beel area in Natore’s Shingra, cultivated boro paddy on 31 acres of land. He needs 25 labourers for seven days for harvesting his paddy.

“I am very worried. I have become tired of looking around labourers. None assured me of coming to work,” he said.