Ration cards for 50 lakh more

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said the government would bring 50 lakh more poor people under its ration card facilities to provide them with rice at Tk 10 per kg to mitigate their sufferings caused by the coronavirus outbreak.

"Currently, 50 lakh extreme poor and distressed people are getting rice at Tk 10 per kg under the government's ration card facilities. We have taken a decision to bring 50 lakh more such people under the facilities to minimise their hardship in the current situation that has emerged following the Covid-19 outbreak," she said.

The PM was addressing public representatives and officials from nine districts of Dhaka division on the coronavirus situation. She joined the programme through videoconferencing from the Gono Bhaban in the morning.

Hasina said in the wake of the coronavirus outbreak, the government started selling rice at Tk 10 per kg to the poor and distressed people who have no ration cards.

"But problems are being created in the rice distribution and we have postponed the programme for now as some incidents happened regarding this," she said.

The premier said the government has directed the authorities concerned to prepare a list of 50 lakh poor and distressed people who would be brought under the new ration card facilities, leaving out those having ration cards and getting benefits under social safety net programmes.

She asked the public representatives to take prompt measures to prepare a list of genuine needy people, irrespective of their political affiliations, to ensure that everyone gets relief.

Hasina, also the Awami League president, said she has already instructed the party leaders and workers to form relief committees up to ward level to identify genuine distressed people and reach succour to their houses.

Reiterating her strong warning against corruption and irregularities in relief distribution, the PM directed the administration and law enforcement agencies to remain alert to it.

"It will have to be ensured that the relief, be it from the government or private organisations, reach the right persons. We will not tolerate any corruption and irregularities in the distribution of relief materials," she said.

The premier said 40 people have so far been punished, while dealership and security money of 11 more forfeited for committing irregularities and graft in relief and OMS rice distribution.

Hasina said 250 crore people of the world remain confined to their homes and their normal life is being hampered severely due to the pandemic.

She said international organisations, including the United Nations, forecast that the world may see severe economic recession due to the pandemic and even famine could happen.

"Against this backdrop, we will have to take steps to save the people and the country from possible recession or famine. Keeping this in mind, we have already declared a set of stimulus packages of over Tk 1 lakh crore and started their execution."

The PM extended her heartfelt thanks to doctors, nurses, health workers, public representative, officials and employees of the administration, members of the armed forces, law enforcement agencies and BGB for standing beside the people with utmost sincerity during this critical time.

Hasina said the health professionals, including physicians and nurses, were providing healthcare services to the people risking their lives.

She also thanked the well-off people and government and non-government organisations for helping the distressed people.

Mentioning that the nine districts of Dhaka division were important as 70 percent of total Covid-19 cases were detected there, the PM urged all to pray to Allah so that people get rid of the onslaught of the fatal disease.

"I hope that everybody stays well and healthy and will try to keep others in their localities healthy," she said.

RETIRED DOCTORS, NURSES MAY BE ENGAGED

Hasina said her government was considering engaging retired physicians and nurses to provide treatment to Covid-19 patients after giving them proper training.

"We can make better use of the retired physicians and nurses after giving them proper training in tackling the crisis arising out of the coronavirus pandemic."

The PM said there was more a shortage of nurses than physicians in the country. Against this backdrop, the retired nurses would be the best possible option to meet the current demand of nurses, she observed.

She asked the authorities concerned to prepare more beds in hospitals to ensure treatment for the newly infected Covid-19 patients.

About personnel protection equipment (PPE), she said, "There are plenty of PPEs. Each and every physician and nurse has been given PPEs."

Referring to the global statistics of deaths and infections by Covid-19, Hasina said 50 people have died of the disease in Bangladesh so far. "The situation is still under control as the government has taken measures since the very beginning of the coronavirus outbreak [in China]."

She, however, expressed deep sympathy to the bereaved family members of those who died of Covid-19 and prayed for early recovery of those suffering from the disease.

While interacting with public representatives, officials, law enforcers, physicians, and representatives from the armed forces from Narayanganj, Munshiganj, Shariatpur, Gopalganj, Faridpur, Rajbari, Narsingdi, Madaripur and Dhaka districts, the premier asked all concerned to take effective measures to stop further spreading of coronavirus.

"Take hot water and seasonal local foods to boost your immune system to fight the coronavirus," she said.

The PM also instructed the local administrations to put the foreign returnees in compulsory home quarantine and arrange places for putting them under institutional quarantine, if necessary, to prevent spreading of the diseases.

Hasina directed the naval police and coast guards to take effective measures so that none, particularly the workers of brick fields, could enter other areas through the naval routes.

The PM once again asked the local administrations to arrange markets in larger places to avoid mass gatherings.

Referring to an incident of leaving a mother in a jungle as she was suffering from cold, cough and fever, she requested all to be humane towards the Covid-19 patients.

"People are becoming inhuman after being panicked in the wake of coronavirus. There is no logic of such inhumanity. Take measures for giving treatment if any person shows coronavirus symptoms."

The premier also criticised the mentality of ousting a physician from his area due to his illness and said she wanted to bring it to the notice of all as she had heard many such incidents.

"Why such incidents happened in Bangladesh? Bangladeshi people were not supposed to be such inhuman."

Referring to suspension of prayers at mosques in Saudi Arabia, the PM asked all to follow the government guidelines relating to holding prayers during the holy month of Ramadan.

"Offer your prayers, particularly the Tarabi, in the holy month of Ramadan by following the directives to support the government efforts to contain the spread of coronavirus."

She said her government has taken every possible measure to make sure sufficient supply of essentials in the markets during the Ramadan as there is no shortage of commodities in the country.

PM's Principal Secretary Ahmad Kaikaus moderated the programme. Cabinet Secretary Khandker Anwarul Islam, PM's Press Secretary Ihsanul Karim, PMO Secretary Tofazzel Hossain Miah and PM's personal physician Dr ABM Abdullah were present at the Gono Bhaban.