Police have arrested several hundred people across Bangladesh capital Dhaka for going outside "without emergency need" during the nationwide lockdown imposed to curb a resurgence in COVID-19 cases and deaths. Authorities in Bangladesh have clamped a strict seven-day lockdown that began at 6 AM  Bangladesh time on Thursday to prevent the further spread of the Covid 19 disease.

Dhaka Metropolitan Police said they arrested 550 people and prosecuted them. As many as 391 others were detained but later freed on bond.

Under lockdown restrictions, only emergency service vehicles are allowed on the roads.

Police have fined shop owners tens of thousands of takas for opening their stores in breach of the restrictions.

“Legal action is being taken against them,” said Mrittunjoy De Sajal, additional deputy commissioner of police.

Over 100 people have been arrested in Mirpur for leaving home during the lockdown ‘unnecessarily’, said Mahtab Uddin, deputy commissioner of police for the Mirpur Division.

Vehicles and pedestrians were stopped on the road and asked why they were outside, said Anisur Rahman, the executive magistrate of the mobile court.

Three of them were penalized, while the others were given warnings, he said.

“We are working to implement the decisions taken by the government to halt the spread of the coronavirus,” said a police officer.

The elite Rapid Action Battalion, like police, have set up checkpoints at intersections across the city to help enforce restrictions on the first day of the lockdown.

(SAM)