China to send coronavirus test kits, PPE as gift on Independence Day: Momen

Foreign Minister AK Abdul Momen today said China will provide Bangladesh with coronavirus testing kits, personal protection equipment (PPE), and other medical equipment as gift to Bangladesh on the occasion of the country's Independence Day.

"China will provide us 10,000 Covid-19 testing kits, 10,000 PPE, 1,000 infrared thermometers and 15,000 surgical N95 respirators under the Chinese Emergency Humanitarian Aid Project," the minister said in a video message to journalists.

"This will be a gift from China on our independence day. The medical equipment will arrive Bangladesh on March 26," he said, adding that some local companies may also import the medical equipment from China.

Meanwhile, some countries, including the USA, have sought medical equipment from Bangladesh.

"Bangladeshi companies also produce these equipment and are looking into these demands," Abdul Momen said.

The minister informed that Bangladesh has sought assistance of the European Union, USA and G7 countries to help tackle the coronavirus outbreak in the country.

The outbreak has already raised risks of global economic downturn with losses of production and jobs.

"Bangladesh's exports to the US and EU countries have already been hit in a big way because of coronavirus. According to BGMEA, order worth US$ 2 billion has already been halted," the minister said.

There is a possibility that a few lakh workers may lose their jobs, while the remittance flow into the country may also be hampered due to Covid-19 outbreak.About one crore Bangladeshi migrants annually send over $15 billion to Bangladesh. On the other hand, EU countries and USA are the major markets for the country's $34 billion readymade garment sector that employs about 40 lakh workers.

Remittance and RMG are the two major foreign exchange earning sectors contributing heavily to the balance of payment of Bangladesh.

Due to the coronavirus, 1.5 lakh aspirant migrants could not go abroad with jobs in the last two months. 

The Bangladesh Garment Manufacturers and Exporters Association (BGMEA) has said several lakh workers in the RMG sector may become jobless if the RMG importing countries, especially EU and USA, halt import orders.

"Considering all these aspects, Bangladesh government has already informed the EU, US and G7 countries to work in unison to tackle the crisis," the foreign minister said.

Bangladesh also requested the migrant-worker receiving countries to take the best care of the Bangladeshis during the coronavirus pandemic, which the World Health Organization (WHO) said could accelerate if appropriate and immediate measures were not taken.

"I have talked to some foreign ministers. They are also concerned over the coronavirus pandemic. They assured Bangladesh of providing all assistance and cooperation," Momen added.