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The government has made arrangements to bring Chattogram Hill Tracts (CHT) Affairs Minister Bir Bahadur Ushwe Sing to Dhaka for treatment at the Combined Military Hospital after he became the first Bangladeshi minister to contract the novel coronavirus.
A Bangladesh Air Force helicopter will fly him to the capital, the Inter Services Public Relation (ISPR) said on Sunday.
Ushwe Sing, 60 has been suffering from respiratory problems for the last few days, said Banderban Civil Surgeon Dr Aung Sui Pru Marma. He is also diabetic and tested positive for coronavirus on Saturday, reports bdnews24.com.
The Awami League leader was elected MP for the first time in 1991. He was a member of the committee that held talks for the CHT Peace Accord before it was signed in 1997.
Ushwe Sing has served as chairman of Rangamati Chattogram Hill Tracts Development Board for two terms.
He has also served the party as an organising secretary of its central committee and whip in parliament.
He has represented Bandarban in parliament on six occasions. He went on to become State Minister for CHT Affairs in 2014.
After the Awami League formed the government again in 2019, Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina made him a cabinet minister.