Lockdown gets stuck in brazen bureaucracy

The lack of coordination among authorities is delaying the execution of the zone-based lockdown for Dhaka aiming to contain contagion of deadly coronavirus, officials and experts said on Tuesday.

They said the ministry of health has classified Covid-infected areas into three zones - red, yellow and green and suggested the government implement zonal shutdowns.

Based on the intensity of viral infections, it has already identified 45 areas (28 under Dhaka South and 17 under Dhaka north) of the capital as the red zone. It means these areas have more infected people than other spots.

But it did not make specific demarcation or map up the infected areas, making it difficult for the two city authorities to implement the plan, according to the people with knowledge of the matter.

They suggested the high-ups of the ministries concerned share such demarcated places with the implementing agencies and officially instruct the Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) and Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) for strict enforcement of the lockdown.

DNCC mayor Atiqul Islam said they have been told to enforce lockdown in areas like Mirpur and Mohammadpur, which are too big to control.

"But from where should we start?" he questioned.

"They should have given us more specific guidelines like from which lane to which lane or which area to which area. We didn't get any specific direction from them," he said.

The DNCC mayor said he discussed the matter with the high-ups of the health ministry, which assured him of providing this vital key information for proper implementation of the lockdown.

Chief executive officer of DSCC Shah Mohammad Emdadul Haque said the city corporation as a key public authority needs official order from the relevant ministries before doing anything.

"But we're yet to receive any such order in this connection," he said.

Mr Haque said a special committee, including the DSCC mayor, was formed earlier. "But nobody signed up there. How can it function properly?" he wondered.

Seeking anonymity, an official at the health ministry said they are making specific demarcation of the areas following requests from the city corporations.

"It might take a day or two to complete the procedure," he added.

Health rights activists Dr Rashid-e-Mahbub were critical of the absence coordination among the implementing agencies regarding the execution of lockdown.

"This demarcation discord shows how weak our preparedness is," he said.

Mr Mahbub suggested incorporating local residents with the strategy for effective execution of the lockdown.

The Mayors of Dhaka south and north city corporations made it clear on Tuesday that they would not go for taking measures in this regard until the health ministry provides them with the specific mapping on the 45 red zones.

They came up with the clarification amid confusions created over Monday's cabinet division circular about enforcing the lockdown to contain and reduce the spread of COVID-19.

In a video message to media, Dhaka North City Corporation (DNCC) Mayor Atiqul Islam said he requested the health ministry to provide specific mapping of the 17 areas of the DNCC earmarked as the red zones.

He informed that the ministry or DG health will provide the mapping within next one or two days and said the DNCC would take measures in this regard after getting the mapping.

"We will use our Razabazar experience in the new red zones," he said.

DNCC has already been piloting lockdown in the city's Razabazar area as a red zone since June 10 last based on a primary decision taken in a meeting on June08.

The Wari area of Dhaka South City Corporation (DSCC) was also primarily selected as a red zone. But, the DSCC did not enforce any lockdown there.

In a press briefing after a coordination meeting, DSCC Mayor Barrister Fazle Noor Taposh said the health ministry will provide them with standard operating procedure along with specific demarcation of the red zones within next three days.

Then, they would require 48 hours to 72 hours for taking preparation to enforce the lockdown, he said.

He said they would use mikes to make public announcements in the specified areas as part of preparation before enforcing the lockdown. They would also involve citizens, civil society organisations, local representatives and law enforcers in the awareness campaign.

"Our main concern is to contain the pandemic in the red zones as it can go beyond control anytime. Our target is to bring down the rate of infection and gradually turn the red zone into green one by strictly enforcing the lockdown without much hampering the life," he said.

Citing example of Beijing, Mr. Taposh said the Chinese government enforced lockdown deploying army without even asking the people after the second wave of infection.

"We will not enforce lockdown being in a hard line. Rather we will try to make it compatible to people being compassionate by involving people so that they suffer less," he said.