Amid acute shortage of labour in haor areas where paddy is ready for harvest, authorities in Chittagong are arranging to transport people in the northeastern part of the country.
The Chittagong Metropolitan Police (CMP) has taken an initiative to send up to 1,500 labourers to the haor areas, prone to flash floods during this time of the year.
Some 100 labourers have already left on fives buses on Sunday, said CMP Deputy Commissioner SM Mehedi Hasan before adding that social distancing measures were ensured.
According to him a large number of people, hailing from the haor areas, live in the port city for a living.
“We have listed 1500 people, who are willing to go back for harvesting paddy. They will travel in phases by buses provided by transport operator S Alam,” said the senior police official.
Each of the 40-seat buses has been disinfected while in a bid to ensure social distancing, they will carry 20 people at a time, according Deputy Police Commissioner Hasan
“The labourers will report to Oshtogram police station in Kishoreganj. They will stay at a primary school and nobody will be allowed to go home after harvesting paddy,” he added.
Inspector Nejam Uddin, the officer-in-charge of Chittagon’s Bakalia police station said that most of the labourers travel to their home districts in this time of year usually.
“This year, they were stuck due to the coronavirus lockdown. The move came in line with instructions of the prime minister,” he said.
