CHT affairs minister admitted to CMH in Dhaka

Chattogram Hill Tracts Affairs Minister Bir Bahadur Ushwe Sing was admitted to Combined Military Hospital (CMH) in Dhaka this noon after he was diagnosed with Covid-19.

"The minister has been taken to Dhaka by helicopter for better treatment this noon as the healthcare facilities in Bandarban are not adequate," Dr Aung Swi Prue Marma, civil surgeon of Bandarban, told The Daily Star.

"Physically he (the minister) is doing fine. He is suffering from mild cold-cough symptoms," Dr Maung Ting Neo, deputy civil surgeon of Bandarban, said.

"There is no ICU, CCU facilities in Bandarban. Since he is a VIP patient, we sent him to Dhaka for better treatment," Dr Maung added.

Earlier last night, the civil surgeon informed this newspaper that Minister Bir Bahadur was diagnosed with Covid-19 that day.

His sample was collected and sent to the IEDCR field office in Cox's Bazar on Thursday. The test report came positive on Saturday, said the civil surgeon.

"The minister has no fever now. He only has mild cough problem," his personal secretary Biswas Rasel Hossain said.

Bir Bahadur is reportedly the first minister of the country to have been infected with coronavirus.