Govt took more concerted steps than BNP’s recommendations: Quader

Awami League General Secretary Obaidul Quader on Sunday said the government took much more concerted steps than what BNP recommended to fight the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The government has taken much more concerted steps than the seven-point recommendation Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir (BNP Secretary General) on behalf of BNP placed to overcome the situation arising out of the coronavirus,” he said in a statement.

Quader, also the Road Transport and Bridges Minister, said the government continues taking measures to fight coronavirus following analysis and examination at every stage, reports UNB.

“The government has been taking all necessary measures not remaining rigid on any particular step in preventing the transmission of the coronavirus,” he said.

Criticising BNP, the AL general secretary said Mirza Fakhrul Islam and his party BNP have showed their irresponsibility not standing beside the people in this critical time, which will remain as a sign of wound in the memory of the nation for a long.

Quader said now BNP resorted to criticising the government to hide own failures.

“Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir made ill-effort to oppose the government in the name of placing recommendations, which have no logical ground, rather are provocative. His remarks are completely lies and devoid of reality,” said the minister.

The BNP Secretary General, at a virtual conference on Saturday, put forward the seven-point recommendation, including enforcing area-based 'strict lockdown,’ promptly expanding corona identification and treatment services in districts, ensuring adequate quality PPE supply to doctors, nurses, health workers, journalists and law enforcers, making arrangements for keeping them in hotels.

BNP’s other recommendations included distributing rice, pulses, oil and other essentials among needy families, providing ordinary workers, including RMG ones, with financial assistance, food support and medical treatment, entrusting the army with the responsibility for distributing government relief materials and presenting the exact figure of corona cases and deaths avoiding the policy of hiding information.

Obaidul Quader said the government has relentless been working by taking concerted steps under the able-leadership of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

With a joint venture of the military and civil administrations, it is now strictly enforcing zone-based lockdown following announcement in different districts in the country, he said.

The government is providing quality PPE to the frontline fighters including physicians, nurses, health workers, journalists and law enforcement agencies, he added.

If BNP leaders require PPE, the government will provide PPE following appeal, said Quader in the statement.

About the BNP’s recommendation for promptly expanding corona identification and treatment services in districts, the AL leader said the government has been expanding the corona detection and treatment for a long time.

Citing different measures taken by the government to fight the COVID-19, Obaidul Quader said separate allocation was kept in the recently placed national budget for the coronavirus.

Besides, the Prime Minister announced 19 stimulus packages worth over total Tk 1.03 trillion to offset the fallout of the COVID-19 crisis, he said.

About the allegation of hiding information by the government he said coronavirus crisis is a global problem not a national one and is not a problem created due to any policy of the government. “So, there is no question of concealing information by the government,” said the AL general secretary.