Schools may stay closed till Sept

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina yesterday said educational institutions would remain closed until September if there was no improvement in the coronavirus situation.

"We will not reopen schools and other educational institutions now, at least till September. These schools, colleges and other educational institutions will remain closed as coronavirus prevalence continues," she said.

The PM said the government would reopen those when the coronavirus pandemic would stop.

Hasina was addressing public representatives and officials of eight districts under Rajshahi division on Covid-19. She joined the programme from the Gono Bhaban through videoconferencing.

The districts are Bogura, Chapainawabganj, Joypurhat, Naogaon, Natore, Pabna, Rajshahi and Sirajganj.

The premier requested the businessmen, who took loans for operating their businesses, not to be worried about loan interests.

"You were doing your business taking loans, but your loans have piled up due to the shutdown in these months over the coronavirus... so, don't think about that [loan interest]."

She mentioned that the lenders were not supposed to collect those interests right now.

"After this meeting, I will sit with the finance minister...we will consider suspending the interests [against the loans]. We will consider how much interest can be waived and how much you can repay those regularly. You don't need to be worried about it," she said.

Hasina said the government would recruit an additional 2,000 doctors and 6,000 nurses soon for ensuring treatment of Covid-19 patients. The recruitment process has already started, she added.

"Special training on coronavirus treatment will be arranged for them [the new doctors and nurses]. They will provide services in this regard after receiving the training."

The PM said the government would set up intensive care units (ICUs) in all districts.

"We will set up an ICU in a good hospital of every district. We have decided to do so in all districts in phases... we will provide special training on ICU operation," she said.

Talking about a noble gesture from a "beggar", Nazim Uddin of Jhinaigati village in Sherpur, Hasina said he has created a noble example for the whole world.

"We don't see such a humane gesture from many rich people. They always express dissatisfaction," she said.

Nazim Uddin donated Tk 10,000 from his savings for the helpless people during the Covid-19 shutdown.

The PM asked the people and local administrations to pay special attention to protecting dairy farmers, particularly in Sirajganj and Pabna, and distribute their milk as a relief item for children.

"Since you are providing relief materials, you can also give milk for children as relief," she said, adding that she already asked the authorities to keep Milk Vita operative.

Hasina asked the authorities to make sure that foreigners, who recently returned to Bangladesh, were put on quarantine before they join their work at Rooppur Nuclear Power Plant in Pabna.

About transportation of goods, the PM said there is no restriction on this and she has directed the law enforcement agencies to cooperate in this regard.

She also said the government was thinking about creating more scopes for transporting goods easily. "We might open waterways gradually for transporting goods. In this way, the prices of goods will remain under control."

The PM said the government was gradually relaxing restrictions in those areas less affected by the coronavirus. "We are paying attention to those areas so that people could lead a normal life and carry out their trade and business activities."

Referring to agriculture, Hasina said Bangladesh's land is fertile and emphasis should be put on making sure that there is no food scarcity in the country. "We have to make sure that not a single piece of land remains unutilised so that we can save our country from famine after the coronavirus pandemic."

She also said the government has announced a stimulus package of Tk 5,000 crore to provide financial assistance to small and medium farmers in rural areas to boost agricultural production.

The PM said there would be no food crisis in the country if everybody worked unitedly. "That is why we have deiced to procure 21 lakh tonnes of food grains."

The government has allocated 95,000 tonnes of rice and about Tk 40 crore for distribution in 64 districts. The government has tasked 64 secretaries with the coordination of relief distribution, she added.

About stimulus packages, Hasina said the government has announced stimulus packages of Tk 1 lakh crore for all businesses, including small and medium ones, to overcome the impacts of Covid-19.

"The small businesses being affected in this situation can take loans at an interest rate of only 2 percent...we will look after them so that they could continue their businesses."

She said there would be an economic recession worldwide due to Covid-19 and international organisations were apprehending a famine.

The PM said novel coronavirus was a global calamity and all the people would have to work as a single unit to find a way to get rid of this.

She said darkness does not prevail forever and there will be light for sure. "We will start out journey again towards the path of light."

Bangladesh Television, Bangladesh Betar and some private TV channels and radio stations broadcast the video conference live.

Earlier, the PM exchanged views with the public representatives and officials of 51 districts of Dhaka, Chattogram, Khulna, Sylhet, Barishal and Mymensingh divisions in five phases.