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An estimated 70 million people were brought under the government relief scheme during the coronavirus outbreak, Information Minister Hasan Mahmud said Thursday.
The minister came up with the remarks while distributing government gifts to unemployed sportspersons in Rangunia upazila, reports UNB.
“No one could imagine the current relief programme sending money to people’s phones,” he said.
Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has operated the largest relief scheme in country’s history, Mahmud said, adding that the people got the money on phones without lobbying and going anywhere.
Besides, Awami League leaders, MPs and local representatives have distributed relief among approximately 12 million people, he said.
None died of hunger thanks to the relief programme under the leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina, he stated.
Developed countries have resumed regular works as no country can survive by shutting down the economy for months, the minister said, adding: “So we should also follow that path slowly but maintain rules of social distance.”
Meanwhile, the health authorities confirmed detection of 2,029 new patients in the last 24 hours, raising the total cases to 40,321. Fifteen more people died from the fast spreading virus during the same period, taking the death tally to 559 on Thursday.