Reopening factories a ‘suicidal’ decision: BNP

BNP yesterday termed the government decision to allow export-oriented factories to resume operation amid the ongoing strict lockdown "suicidal".

"A horrible situation has been prevailing in the country… the government earlier declared that the factories would remain shut till August 5. Suddenly, it announced that the factories would be reopened without taking any steps to allow the workers to return. They again decided at night that public transport would operate till 12pm," said party secretary general Mirza Fakhrul Islam Alamgir.

He said, "I see nothing but insanity in these decisions. The BNP standing committee feels that the government has taken a suicidal decision due to its incompetence and lack of sincerity."

Fakhrul made the remarks at a press conference at BNP chairperson's Gulshan office while unveiling decisions of a virtual meeting of the party standing committee held on Saturday.

Referring to media reports, he said it is freighteing the way workers in droves were desperately trying to return to their workplaces.

"They are returning from rural areas where now the coronavirus transmission is very high. They're coming back with this (virus). So, we can understand what's going to happen in Dhaka. We think the government should resign shouldering all the responsibilities for its failure to deal with the Covid situation," Fakhrul observed.

The BNP leader said health experts also opposed the government's decision and they described it as a farce since Dhaka residents will be vulnerable to the Delta variant with the arrival of workers from outside the capital.

Export-oriented industries resumed operation today, the 10th day of the ongoing strict lockdown, amid warnings against Covid surge as workers started returning to their workplaces without maintaining health protocols.

A record surge in the number of Covid cases and fatalities in recent days prompted the government to enforce a nationwide strict lockdown, suspending all outdoor activities unless there's an emergency.

Fakhrul alleged that the country's poor and low-income people are suffering due to the "unplanned" lockdown.

He said their party repeatedly cautioned the government that the lockdown would never work without food aid and financial support for the low-income and marginalised people.

"We also urged the government to provide these people with a one-time grant of Tk 15,000. But the government has decided to pay Tk 2,500 to its own party men. The real victims are not getting this support," the BNP leader alleged.

'DECEPTION OVER VACCINE'

Fakhrul alleged that the government is trying to deceive people by giving them wrong information about vaccines.

"The government has said it'll make arrangements to provide 60 lakh doses of vaccines every week. But it couldn't give 60 lakh jabs over the last seven months. They've also announced to give one crore doses of vaccines every month without any guarantee of receiving the jabs. This is nothing but a trickery."

He alleged that the health minister has been making "ridiculous and hollow" remarks about vaccinating the country's 80 percent population without collecting the necessary vaccine doses.

"The BNP standing committee meeting has urged the government to immediately present a specific roadmap on vaccine collection, storage and distribution."

Fakhrul also accused the government of deliberately giving people "false information" about the daily coronavirus cases and fatalities.