Inadequate govt preparations dissatisfy parties

Different political parties on Friday expressed their dissatisfaction alleging that the government’s initiatives to tackle coronavirus situation were inadequate and called for taking immediate steps consulting all the sectors and political parties to overcome the situation.

Communist Party of Bangladesh and Ganosamhati Andolan in separate statements demanded to declare state of emergency in the country, Jatiya Samajtantrik Dal-JSD urged the government to announce national disaster and Nagarik Oikya placed a 20-point demands including formation of a taskforce to tackle the situation.

The political parties asked the government to take proper steps to arrest price hike of essential commodities and disinfectants and masks needed to check the virus spread.

They also demanded that  the government should arrange food for low income group people, especially the slum dwellers in towns and cities, and announcement of closure of garment factories with payment of wages of the workers.

They alleged that different ministers had been speaking at different places and giving untrue and careless information over the issue.

The parties demanded to ensure adequate treatment facilities in all the hospitals of the country, kits for testing coronavirus infection, and safety measures for the doctors, nurses and medical staff for smooth treatment of the infected ones.

CPB president Mujahidul Islam Selim and general secretary Mohammad Shah Alam expressed their dissatisfaction over the ‘indifference and carelessness’ of the government to tackle the situation though it got two months to take preparations.

They placed a seven-point demands including declaration of state of emergency, taking national action plan by talking to all the political parties, groups and noted personalities, allocation of adequate money for tackle the situation, declaring all the garment factories closed by paying wages of the workers, special arrangement for slum dwellers,  arresting price hike of daily commodities and sanitisers.

Ganosamhati Andolan chief coordinator Jonayed Saki and executive coordinator Abul Hasan Rubel in a statement asked the government to take immediate initiatives to stop spread of coronavirus infection and declare state of emergency in the country.

Nagarik Oikya convener Mahmudur Rahman Manna, addressing a press conference at the National Press Club in Dhaka, alleged that the people would have to suffer for the government’s failure and that the prevailing situation was created as they remained busy with their own political programmes.

He placed a 20-point demands including immediate formation of a taskforce comprising representatives from all the sectors, compelling those returned from foreign countries to remain in home quarantine, taking large scale awareness programmes, suspending all the by-polls and Chattogram City Corporation elections, strict enforcement of ban on public gatherings, forming separate teams with slum dwellers to aware the dwellers, separate hospital for Rohingya people, arrangement for commercial production of kits developed by Gonosasthya Kendra and making it available for people, and immediate and adequate supply of personal protective equipment for doctors and other healthcare providers.

JSD president ASM Abdur Rob and general secretary Sanowar Hossain in a statement urged the government to declare ‘national disaster’ to tackle the situation.  

News Courtesy: www.newagebd.net